[Lead and cadmium burden of children in Stolberg]

In 1989, blood lead and blood cadmium levels were determined in 229 children (age 6-7 years) living at Stolberg (West Germany). The area of Stolberg is heavily polluted by lead and other toxic metals due to emissions from a large primary lead smelter. The mean blood lead level was 6.3 micrograms/dl (range 2.6-15.5 micrograms/dl) and the mean blood cadmium level was 0.14 microgram/l (range less than 0.1-0.5 microgram/l). The blood lead levels were affected by the following factors: living in the central urban area with high lead levels in dust fall-out; living in a family of foreigners; involuntary inhalation of smoke at home; living in a family with a family member employed in the lead industry. Children from foreign families also had higher blood cadmium levels than children from German families. However, inhalation of tobacco smoke did not affect the blood cadmium levels. In total, there has been a significant decline of blood lead and blood cadmium levels among children from the Stolberg area since 1982.