New ceramics-related industry implicated in elevated blood lead levels in children

Elevated lead levels have been implicated as a cause of a variety of health problems in children. Blood lead, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and hemoglobin levels were measured for family members of workers exposed to lead borosilicate dust in a capacitor and resistor plant in Colorado. Previous studies in other lead-related industries have shown an increased risk of lead poisoning among workers' children through exposure to dust brought home on work clothes. Eighty-nine family members of 41 exposed workers were tested along with 62 family members of 30 unexposed comparison households. The mean blood lead level in the family members of exposed workers was significantly elevated compared with that of the unexposed group (10.2 vs. 6.2 micrograms/dl, p = .0001).