Childhood Exposure to Environmental Lead - MARC Report Number 34

Considerable attention has been given to evaluating the significance of environmental pollution by lead. It has long been known that lead in sufficient quantities is a neurotoxin, but whether general environmental sources can result in the build-up and transfer of lead to an extent which might cause serious damage to human health is a question yet to be answered. Recent studies suggest that adverse health effects can occur at blood lead levels which are lower than the levels previously considered safe. In this report, the exposure of children to environmental lead is discussed, along with the impact of environmental lead exposure on the concentration of lead in children's blood.