Elsevier

Environment International

Blood lead levels amidst Chinese children: The shifting influence of manufacture, traffic, and eastward-waste over iii decades

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Highlights

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The geometric mean BLL for Chinese children between 1987 and 2017 = 95.ane μg/Fifty.

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At that place has been a significant overall temporal decrease in BLLs.

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A rebound was seen in the well-nigh recent two years (2016 and 2017)

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BLLs of children living in mining areas have remained high.

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The pb poisoning rate has become very loftier in areas associated with east–wastes.

Abstract

In China, information relating to the historic prevalence of childhood pb poisoning suggest its pervasiveness. This review analysed published epidemiological data on blood lead levels (BLLs) of 735,271 Chinese children aged 0–six between 1987 and 2017. Among these children, the geometric mean (GM) BLL was 95.1 μg/L (geometric SD = 1.62), and 24.i% suffered lead poisoning (BLL ≥ 100 μg/L). Importantly, there was a temporal decrease in the GM BLL value, from 182.9 μg/Fifty in 1987–1991 to 42.4 μg/L in 2012–2017. Notwithstanding, a rebound was seen in the most recent two years (2016 and 2017). Moreover, the GM BLL among Chinese children has non fallen as low as U.S. children. This indicates that either (one) leaded petrol or lead based-paint exposure sources have non been adequately controlled in China, or (2) other pollution sources, such every bit manufacture, traffic, and e-waste, are impacting Chinese children. Drivers behind spatio-temporal variations were explored to provide scientific evidence regarding the prevention of childhood pb poisoning. We found that BLLs among children in the central and eastern areas of Prc have dropped lower than those in the western area, and that the GM BLL of children living in rural areas now exceeds children in urban areas. These reversals may be associated with the industrial decentralization policy of the late 1980s, when many heavily polluting industries and manufacturers moved away from cities on the east coast. It was discovered that the BLLs of children living in areas associated with mining accept remained high (GM BLL = 155.0 μg/L for 2007–2017), and that the lead poisoning rate (LPR) has become exceptionally high in areas associated with e–waste. Finally, the review offers a data comparison with other countries, an overview of potentially influencing factors and sources, too equally some suggested prevention strategies to reduce childhood lead exposure.

Keywords

Blood pb levels

Childhood pb exposure

Atomic number 82 poisoning

Lead

E-waste matter

© 2019 The Authors. Published past Elsevier Ltd.