A study of pediatric blood lead levels in a lead mining area in South Africa

This study aimed to determine the blood lead distributions among young children in the lead mining town of Aggeneys in South Africa's Northern Cape Province, and in the comparison community of Pella, about 40 Km away. A further objective of the study was to explore factors associated with elevated blood lead levels. Children aged between 6 and 10 years (average age, 8 years) were studied, 86 from Aggeneys and 68 from Pella. The results showed that blood lead levels among the children of Aggeneys averaged around 16 mug/dL, while in Pella the mean blood lead level equaled 13 mug/dL. Overall, children with raised blood lead levels performed less well at school relative to other children. Within Aggeneys, fathers of "high" lead children tended to shower at work rather than at home, which may have been insufficient to prevent lead from being transported into the home. In conclusion, more stringent environmental control measures are needed, as well as stricter personal hygiene measures, to prevent childhood lead exposure in the mining community. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.