THE CONCENTRATION OF LEAD IN PLASMA, WHOLE BLOOD AND ERYTHROCYTES OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Abstract

The concentration of lead in the blood of 103 infants and children without history of pica or lead poisoning, ranging in age from 5 hours to 13 years, was studied. The children were divided into three groups according to age: Group I, 5 hours to 6 months of age; Group II, 6.1 months to 4 years of age; Group III, older than 4 years. The values obtained in Group I were significantly lower than those obtained in Groups II and III. Groups II and III showed approximately the same content of lead in whole blood and erythrocytes. The median values in Group I were 0.015 mg/ 100 ml of whole blood and 0.034 mg/100 ml of erythrocytes. In the combined Groups II and III median values in whole blood were 0.027 mg/100 ml, and in erythrocytes 0.065 mg/100 ml. The range in Group I was 0.005-0.031 mg/100 ml of whole blood and 0.010-0.090 mg/100 ml of erythrocytes. In the two groups more than 6 months of age, the range for whole blood was found to be 0.003-0.054 mg/100 ml, and for erythrocytes 0.003-0.144 mg/100 ml; 90% of the values were between 0.015 and 0.040 mg/100 ml (whole blood), and between 0.028 and 0.103 mg/100 ml (erythrocytes). Significant amounts of bead were found in the whole blood (0.007-0.028 mg/100 ml), and erythrocytes (0.010-0.044 mg/100 ml) of newborn infants.