[Lead content of vegetable foods in vicinity of lead emitting industry]

By means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry, the authors determined the lead content in vegetable, fruit and soil samples from the environments of a lead-smelting plant. The lead values obtained were some 10- to 100-fold higher than those found normally. The mean lead content in vegetables varied from 2 to 150 p.p.m. in dry matter; that in fruits, from 4 to 35 p.p.m. Lead concentrations ranging from 575 to 2900 p.p.m. were detected in the soil samples. The mean lead content in the atmosphere was between 0.62 and 0.95 mug/m3 (maximum value 12 mug/m3). From these data it was calculated that the total resorption of lead from vegetables, fruits, potatoes and air varied from 0.04 to 0.49 mg/day in the territory under investigation. To protect the population against increased intake of lead, it is recommended to abandon individual and commercial vegetable and fruit growing, especially leaf vegetables. Since the contamination of the soil persists for generations, the authors discuss its replacement by non-contaminated surface soil.