[The contamination of vegetable foods by lead containing street dust]

To assess the contamination of fruit and vegetables by lead-containing road dust, products displayed in the open air and in retail shops, respectively, were analysed for lead content. The lead exposure within the range of the retail shop was characterized by an aerosol with 0.2-2.5 microgram/m3 and a sedimentable lead dust of 2.13-6.55 mg/m2-30 d. The lead content of the products displayed in the open air was some 0.5 to 6-fold higher. This difference was statistically significant. 92-100% of the lead dust could be removed from the products by washing with water. Increased lead contents were also found on fruit stored in a cellar (0.66 and 0.42 p.p.m., respectively) near a parking place. In consideration of the proportion of these foods in the diet consumed, no health hazard to the population can be deduced from these data; but in single cases, a temporary rise of the blood-lead level may occur. Covering fruit and vegetables presented in the open air with thin-sheet plastics or selling such products in plastics bags will prevent contamination.