An investigation of dust lead sampling locations and children's blood lead levels

The objective of this study is to provide guidance on where to collect dust lead wipe samples in homes to best characterize the risk of a resident child having a blood lead level at or above the CDC level of concern (10 μg/dl). In 1998, the Milwaukee Health Department enrolled 72 children living in pre-1950 buildings: 34 had elevated (i.e., ≥10 μg/dl) blood lead levels (EBL); and 38 had non-elevated blood lead levels (non-EBL). This study explored dust lead sampling locations by examining loading differences between homes where children with EBL and non-EBL lived. Floor, windowsill, and window trough samples were collected in the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and child's bedroom and play area. Floor samples were collected at four locations: room entry; center of the room; under a window; and against the wall opposite the window (perimeter). Geometric mean floor dust lead levels were generally two to three times higher in homes of EBL children than homes of non-EBL children. Sampling the floor at the room entry or center is preferable to sampling under the window or from the perimeter of the room. When the central floor average was used, the room combinations that had the greatest differences between homes of EBL children and non-EBL children all included a sample from the child's bedroom and excluded the bathroom. When the entry floor average was used, the greatest differences also excluded bathrooms, but otherwise included a mix of all of the other rooms. Window samples did not distinguish where children with EBLs versus non-EBLs resided. This paper is based on Milwaukee alone, so generalizing results to other locations should be done with caution.