Relation of blood lead levels and lead in gasoline: an updated systematic review

Environmental Health

Research

Philip J. Landrigan¹  Ruth C. Angrand²  Geoffrey Collins³  Valerie M. Thomas⁴ 

[1] Biology Department and Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA;Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, MC, Monaco;Department of Internal Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA;Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA;H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA;

关键词: Petrol;    Time trend;    Unleaded;    Africa;    Asia;    Europe;    North America;    Oceania;    South America;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12940-022-00936-x

 received in 2022-03-13, accepted in 2022-10-22,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMillions of tons of lead were added to gasoline worldwide beginning in 1922, and leaded gasoline has been a major source of population lead exposure. In 1960s, lead began to be removed from automotive gasoline. Removal was completed in 2021.ObjectivesTo determine whether removal of lead from automotive gasoline is associated with declines in population mean blood lead levels (BPb).MethodsWe examined published studies that reported population blood leaded levels for two or more years, and we calculated average concentrations of lead in gasoline corresponding to the years and locations of the blood lead level measurements.ResultsRemoval of lead from gasoline is associated with declines in BPb in all countries examined. In some countries, BPb continues to fall after lead has been eliminated from gasoline. Following elimination of lead from gasoline, BPb less than 1 μg/dL have been observed in several European and North American countries, and BPb less than 3 μg/dL have been documented in several studies from South America.DiscussionThere remain many countries for which no multi-year studies of populations BPb have been identified, including all of Central America, high population countries including Pakistan and Indonesia, and major lead producers including Australia and Russia.ConclusionRemoval of lead from gasoline has been a public health success. Elimination of lead from gasoline has enabled many countries to achieve population mean BPb levels of 1 μg/dL or lower. These actions have saved lives, increased children’s intelligence and created great economic benefit in countries worldwide.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022

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