8 research outputs found
Contribution of Particle-Size-Fractionated Airborne Lead to Blood Lead during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2008
Contribution of Particle-Size-Fractionated Airborne Lead to Blood Lead during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2008
The objective of this work is to
examine associations between blood
lead (PbB) and air lead (PbA) in particulate matter measured at different
size cuts by use of PbB concentrations from the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey and PbA concentrations from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency for 1999–2008. Three size fractions
of particle-bound PbA (TSP, PM<sub>10</sub>, and PM<sub>2.5</sub>)
data with different averaging times (current and past 90-day average)
were utilized. A multilevel linear mixed effect model was used to
characterize the PbB–PbA relationship. At 0.15 μg/m<sup>3</sup>, a unit decrease in PbA in PM<sub>10</sub> was significantly
associated with a decrease in PbB of 0.3–2.2 μg/dL across
age groups and averaging times. For PbA in PM<sub>2.5</sub> and TSP,
slopes were generally positive but not significant. PbB levels were
more sensitive to the change in PbA concentrations for children (1–5
and 6–11 years) and older adults (≥60 years) than teenagers
(12–19 years) and adults (20–59 years). For the years
following the phase-out of Pb in gasoline and a resulting upward shift
in the PbA particle size distribution, PbA in PM<sub>10</sub> was
a statistically significant predictor of PbB. The results also suggest
that age could affect the PbB–PbA association, with children
having higher sensitivity than adults