Blood lead levels and enzymatic biomarkers of environmental lead exposure in children from Córdoba, Argentina after the ban of leaded gasoline

S. A. MARTÍNEZ, L. SIMONELLA, C. HANSEN, S. RIVOLTA, L.M. CANCELA, M.B. VIRGOLINI

SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD

Lugar: London; Año: 2013 vol. 32 p. 454 - 454

ead (Pb) is a developmental neurotoxicant found in industrial activities,many of them already prohibited worldwide. This study aimed to evaluatecurrent blood Pb (PbB) levels in children in Cordoba, Argentina, and tocompare these to similar studies performed before Pb was banned ingasoline in 1996. We also sought to identify mechanistically-relevantbiomarkers by measuring δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD),superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. We finallyaimed to determine whether socio-demographic characteristics areassociated with Pb toxicity. Blood samples collected from 161 healthychildren between September 2009 and February 2010 revealed mean PbBlevels of 2.58 ± 0.30 Fg/dl. Enzymatic δ-ALAD, CAT and SOD activitiesshowed no significant variations when plotted against PbB levels. Finally,children living in the suburbs have higher PbB levels than their citycounterpa