Biochemical studies on populations with long- or short-term exposure to environmental pollution

Three groups of populations were studied: I. living for about 10 years, II. living for about 3 years near copper smelteries, and III. living in rural area, far from any source of air pollution. Lead content in blood was found to be 182.0 and copper 274.6 microgram/100 ml for group I, Pb - 69.2 and Cu - 253.3 microgram/100 ml for group II, and Pb - 43.8 and Cu - 143.3 microgram/100 ml for group III. Inhibition of glycolytic cycle enzymes and delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase was proportional to the duration of exposure to environmental pollution. Ceruloplasmin concentration in serum, as well as serum and red cells aminotransferases activities, were increased in group II and decreased in group I, suggesting certain mechanism of adaptation.