Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-185
Table AX6-7.1 (cont’d). Recent Studies of Lead Exposure and Genotoxicity
Reference, Study
Location, and Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings and Interpretation
Europe (cont’d)
Van Larebeke et al.
(2004)
Belgium
Latin America
Minozzo et al. (2004)
Brazil
Cross-sectional design.
99 female nonsmokers, ages 50-65,
drawn from rural and industrial areas.
Peripheral lymphocytes isolated from
blood. HPRT variant frequency
determined.
Cross-sectional design.
26 workers employed at a battery
recyclery for 0.5 to 30 yrs.
29 healthy volunteers of similar age
range and SES.
Peripheral lymphocytes isolated from
whole blood.
Fixed blood slides stained with Giemsa
visually evaluated to determine
micronuclear frequency (MN) and
cellualr proliferation as nuclear
division index (NDI).
ANOVA and logistic regression used
to compare workers vs. healthy
volunteers. Adjusted for age, alcohol
use, and smoking.
Pb concentration measured in blood
(serum).
Women also classified as above vs.
below median for blood Pb.
Battery recyclery workers were
considered exposed.
Blood Pb also determined.
Mean blood Pb 35.4 µg/dL for
workers, 2.0 µg/dL for volunteers.
HPRT variant frequency
Above median serum Pb: 9.45 Η 10 -6
Below median serum Pb: 5.21 Η 10 -6
P-value for difference = 0.08 adjusted for age, education,
smoking, BMI, and serum selenium. (Significant inverse
association noted between variant frequency and serum
selenium.) Uncontrolled for potential exposure to other
genotoxins.
Means (SD) for workers and volunteers
MN: 3.85 (2.36) and 1.45 (1.43)
NDI: 1.77 (0.22) and 1.89 (0.18)
Kendal correlation coefficient:
All workers {assuming recyclery workers only, not total
population, but no population number given in table.}
Blood Pb Η MN: 0.061 (p = 0.33)
Blood Pb Η NDI: 0.385 (p = 0.003)
Not controlled for age or SES, although worker and volunteer
populations said to be of similar age and SES. Uncontrolled for
potential coexposures. Correlations appear uncontrolled for
smoking, age, or other factors. Differences in MN and NDI
minor for smokers vs. nonsmoker, however. Diet “type”
“similar” for workers and controls, although no definition of
similarity provided.