Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden. ulf.stromberg@ymed.lu.se
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To assess blood lead concentrations (B-Pb) in children not exposed to petrol lead. In a previous paper we reported the results for the period 1978-94 (2441 children measured). A substantial decrease of B-Pb was found, which reflected a beneficial effect of gradual banning of petrol lead. Since 1994, petrol sold in Sweden has not contained lead. METHODS: In the south of Sweden, each year from 1995 to 2001, B-Pb was measured in 329 boys and 345 girls, aged 7-11 years. RESULTS: The geometric mean (GM) of B-Pb was 21 (range 6-80) microg/l. There was no consistent change of B-Pb from 1995 to 2001. Children living near a lead smelter had raised B-Pb (GM 24 microg/l, range 11-80). Passive smoking, but not age and sex, influenced B-Pb significantly. CONCLUSIONS: B-Pb in Swedish children, no longer exposed to petrol lead, seems to have stabilised at an average level close to 20 microg/l (provided there is no nearby industrial lead emission).