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Whole blood, serum, and saliva lead concentrations in 6- to 8-year-old children
Glauce Regina Costa de Almeida1, Cristiane Fernandes de Freitas Tavares, Ana Maria de Souza
1Department of Morphology, Estomatology and Physiology, Dental School of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo - FORP/USP, Av. do Café, Ribeirao Preto-SP, Brazil.
Insights
This study assessed lead exposure in Brazilian children using blood and saliva biomarkers. Lead levels in blood did not correlate with serum or saliva lead, indicating saliva is not a reliable biomarker for blood lead exposure.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Growing evidence links lower lead levels to adverse health effects, necessitating new internal dose biomarkers.
- Lead exposure remains a significant public health concern, particularly in vulnerable populations like children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess lead exposure in children by measuring lead in whole blood, serum, and three types of saliva.
- To investigate correlations between lead levels in blood, serum, and saliva.
- To evaluate the potential of saliva as a novel biomarker for internal lead dose.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of lead concentrations in whole blood, serum, and whole, submandibular/sublingual, and parotid saliva from 444 children (aged 6-8 years).
- Lead levels were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Statistical analysis to correlate lead concentrations across different biological matrices.
Main Results:
- Median blood lead level (Pb-blood) was 2.1 microg/dL, with 10% of children having levels between 4.0 and 9.4 microg/dL.
- Boys exhibited significantly higher Pb-blood than girls.
- No significant correlations were found between Pb-blood and lead in serum or any saliva type; a weak correlation existed between serum lead and parotid saliva lead.
Conclusions:
- Blood lead levels in the studied Brazilian children were generally low but concerning for a subset.
- Current saliva collection methods and types do not serve as reliable biomarkers for blood lead levels in this population.
- Further research is needed to identify lead exposure sources and refine biomarkers in Brazilian children.
Abstract:
With increasing evidence of adverse health effects of lower lead levels (below 10microg/dL in whole blood), studies on novel internal dose biomarkers are needed. This study aimed at: (1) assessing the lead exposure by measuring this element in whole blood (Pb-blood), serum (Pb-serum), and 3 different types of saliva: whole (Pb-whole-saliva), submandibular/sublingual (Pb-sub-saliva) and parotid saliva (Pb-parotid-saliva); (2) correlating Pb-blood with Pb-serum; and (3) relating Pb-blood and Pb-serum with the lead found in the different salivas. The study population included 444 children aged 6 to 8 years attending 4 government schools in the district of Campos Eliseos, in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Whole blood, serum, parotid, submandibular/sublingual ("sub-saliva"), and whole saliva were collected in trace element-free tubes. Lead concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Median Pb-blood and Pb-serum were 2.1microg/dL and 0.4microg/L, respectively. Ten percent of the children had Pb-blood between 4.0 and 9.4microg/dL. Boys showed higher Pb-blood than girls (2.3 vs. 2.0microg/dL, p<0.0003). Lead concentrations in whole, sub, and parotid saliva were 1.7, 1.4, and 1.3microg/L, respectively. No significant correlations were found between Pb-blood and Pb-serum, between Pb-blood and lead in the 3 different salivas, or between Pb-serum and Pb-whole-saliva or Pb-sub-saliva. However, there was a weak statistically significant correlation between Pb-serum and Pb-parotid-saliva. In conclusion, the mean Pb-blood concentration was 2.4microg/dL, with 10% of the children exhibiting Pb-blood between 4.0 and 9.4microg/dL. Boys presented higher Pb-blood. Results suggest that Pb-blood has no correlation with Pb-serum or lead in the 3 different salivas collected here. A weak but statistically significant correlation between Pb-serum and Pb-parotid-saliva was found. Our results also point to the need for carrying out more studies on sources of exposure and lead levels in children in Brazil.
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