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Contribution of children's activities to lead contamination of food

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 11, pages 407–413 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship of children's hygiene habits and food-handling behaviors on lead levels on hands and handled foods for toddlers living in lead-contaminated homes. Forty-eight inner city toddlers previously identified as having elevated blood lead levels participated in three consecutive days of designated food-handling activities. During the visits, duplicate diets were obtained, the child handled a banana, a hot dog, and had his/her hands wiped with a moist towelette. In addition, wipe samples were collected from the kitchen floor, and food items were deposited on and subsequently collected from the kitchen floor. All samples were analyzed for lead. The child's caregiver completed a questionnaire, which addressed the child's hygiene and eating behaviors. It was demonstrated that children's contact with residential dust containing lead can transfer lead to food. Both lead in the home and on the children's hands contribute to the contamination of food, and hence potential dietary exposure. Mean lead in handled bananas was 26 μg/kg and on hot dogs 65 μg/kg, and mean lead values on cheese and apple slices that had been on the floor were 119 and 215 μg/kg. In addition, the child's hygiene habits as reported by the parent indicate that lack of basic hygiene patterns within a high lead environment can contribute to children's dietary exposure to lead.

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Acknowledgements

The US Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Research and Development, funded and managed the research described here under assistance agreement CR822070-01-3 to Research Triangle Institute and subgrant 2-700-5768 to the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. It has been subjected to Agency review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for use.

The authors thank Dr. George G. Rhoads for his valuable discussions and suggestions, and his help in identifying potential participants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Community Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, 08854, New Jersey, USA

    NATALIE C G FREEMAN & MARTA JIMENEZ

  2. Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA

    NATALIE C G FREEMAN

  3. US EPA National Exposure Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    LINDA SHELDON

  4. US EPA National Exposure Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    LISA MELNYK & MAURICE BERRY

  5. Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    EDO PELLIZZARI

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  1. NATALIE C G FREEMAN
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  2. LINDA SHELDON
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  3. MARTA JIMENEZ
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  4. LISA MELNYK
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  6. MAURICE BERRY
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Correspondence to NATALIE C G FREEMAN.

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FREEMAN, N., SHELDON, L., JIMENEZ, M. et al. Contribution of children's activities to lead contamination of food. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 11, 407–413 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500183

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