Lead in tissues of deceased lead smelter workers

Smelter workers are exposed to a number of metals and other substances in dust, fumes and gases. The concentrations of lead in liver, lung, kidney, brain, hair and nails were determined in 32 deceased, long-term exposed male lead smelter workers, and compared with those of 10 male controls. The lead levels in liver, lung, kidney and brain were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. X-ray fluorescence was used for the determinations in hair and nails. Lead in blood had been determined repeatedly in the lead workers since 1950, which made it possible to calculate a time-integrated blood lead index for each worker. The highest lead levels in soft tissues were found in liver, followed in order of concentration by kidney, lung and brain, among both exposed workers and controls. These organ lead concentrations were all significantly higher among the workers as compared with the control group (p < or = 0.02). The largest difference between workers and controls was found in brain tissue (ratio between median values = 5.6). The lead levels in hair and nails were of the same magnitude in the two groups. The workers showed positive correlations between lead concentrations in liver and kidney (Spearman's rho = rs = 0.59; p < 0.001), liver and hair (rs = 0.51; p = 0.003), liver and nails (rs = 0.52; p = 0.002) and hair and nails (rs = 0.52; p = 0.002). Lead concentrations in kidney correlated well with lead levels in hair (rs = 0.57; p = 0.001) and nails (rs = 0.51; p = 0.003), respectively. The positive correlation between the lead concentrations in liver and kidney indicates that these organs belong to the same soft tissue lead pool in the body. In retired lead workers, positive correlations were observed between the lead concentrations in liver and the cumulative blood lead index (CBLI) (rs = 0.50; p = 0.016), as well as between lead levels in kidney and CBLI (rs = 0.51; p = 0.014).