Blood lead levels in children of S.W. Sardinia

The purpose of the present study was to make a preliminary evaluation of blood lead levels in school-aged children from three towns of southwestern Sardinia, Portoscuso, S. Antioco and Calasetta, the first of which is very close to a large industrial complex. Blood lead concentration was determined in venous blood samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The survey revealed that children residing in the town of Portoscuso had higher mean blood lead levels (12.7 micrograms/dl) than children of the same age residing in S. Antioco and Calasetta (8.3 and 8.4 micrograms/dl respectively) and that levels were slightly higher in males than in females. This difference is suggested to be a result of the greater fallout of industrial pollutants in the area of Portoscuso.