IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i20p6912-d1258660.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Identifying Sources of Lead Exposure for Children in the Republic of Georgia, with Lead Isotope Ratios

Author

Listed:
  • Giovanni S. Leonardi

    (UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK
    Department of Social and Environmental Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK)

  • Ekaterine Ruadze

    (Faculty of Medicine, Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 1 Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
    The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, Tbilisi 0198, Georgia)

  • Ayoub Saei

    (UK Health Security Agency, Statistics Unit, Department of Statistics, Modelling and Economics, London NW9 5EQ, UK)

  • Adam Laycock

    (UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK)

  • Simon Chenery

    (British Geological Survey, Kingsley Durham Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK)

  • Helen Crabbe

    (UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK)

  • Elizabeth Marchant

    (UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK
    UK Health Security Agency, Field Epidemiology Training Programme, London NW9 5EQ, UK)

  • Irma Khonelidze

    (The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, Tbilisi 0198, Georgia)

  • Lela Sturua

    (The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, Tbilisi 0198, Georgia)

  • Paata Imnadze

    (Faculty of Medicine, Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 1 Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
    The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, Tbilisi 0198, Georgia)

  • Amiran Gamkrelidze

    (University of Georgia (UG), 77a M. Kostava Street, Tbilisi 0171, Georgia)

  • Michael J. Watts

    (British Geological Survey, Kingsley Durham Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK)

  • Tim Marczylo

    (UK Health Security Agency, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK)

Abstract

In the Republic of Georgia, a 2018 national survey estimated that more than 40% of children aged 2–7 years had a blood lead concentration (BLC) of more than 5 µg/dL. The objective of this study was to document the feasibility of employing lead isotope ratios (LIRs) to identify and rank the Pb (lead) exposure sources most relevant to children across Georgia. A cross-sectional survey between November 2019 and February 2020 of 36 children previously identified as having BLCs > 5 µg/dL from seven regions of Georgia involved the collection of blood and 528 environmental samples, a questionnaire on behaviours and potential exposures. The LIRs in blood and environmental samples were analysed in individual children and across the whole group to ascertain clustering. A fitted statistical mixed-effect model to LIR data first found that the blood samples clustered with spices, tea, and paint, then, further isotopically distinct from blood were sand, dust, and soil, and lastly, milk, toys, pens, flour, and water. Analysis of the LIRs provided an indication and ranking of the importance of Pb environmental sources as explanatory factors of BLCs across the group of children. The findings support the deployment of interventions aimed at managing the priority sources of exposure in this population.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni S. Leonardi & Ekaterine Ruadze & Ayoub Saei & Adam Laycock & Simon Chenery & Helen Crabbe & Elizabeth Marchant & Irma Khonelidze & Lela Sturua & Paata Imnadze & Amiran Gamkrelidze & Michael J, 2023. "Identifying Sources of Lead Exposure for Children in the Republic of Georgia, with Lead Isotope Ratios," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(20), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:20:p:6912-:d:1258660
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/20/6912/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/20/6912/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mai Takagi & Atsushi Tanaka & Haruhiko Seyama & Ayumi Uematsu & Masayuki Kaji & Jun Yoshinaga, 2020. "Source Identification Analysis of Lead in the Blood of Japanese Children by Stable Isotope Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi & Alesia C. Ferguson & Katherine A. Stamatakis & Michael A. Province, 2021. "Combined Effect of Lead Exposure and Allostatic Load on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality—A Preliminary Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-9, June.
    3. Ekaterine Ruadze & Giovanni S. Leonardi & Ayoub Saei & Irma Khonelidze & Lela Sturua & Vladimer Getia & Helen Crabbe & Tim Marczylo & Paolo Lauriola & Amiran Gamkrelidze, 2021. "Reduction in Blood Lead Concentration in Children across the Republic of Georgia following Interventions to Address Widespread Exceedance of Reference Value in 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.
    4. Anne Etchevers & Philippe Glorennec & Yann Le Strat & Camille Lecoffre & Philippe Bretin & Alain Le Tertre, 2015. "Screening for Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children: Assessment of Criteria and a Proposal for New Ones in France," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-13, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Denny Agustiningsih & Meida Sofyana & Santosa Budiharjo & Sri Awalia Febriana & Hikmawati Nurokhmanti & Suhartini Suhartini & Dewanto Yusuf Priyambodo & Dwi Aris Agung Nugrahaningsih & Roto Roto & Rak, 2021. "Reaction Times among Batik Workers: The Influence of Gender and Occupational Lead Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-11, November.
    2. Adejoke Christianah Olufemi & Andile Mji & Murembiwa Stanley Mukhola, 2022. "Potential Health Risks of Lead Exposure from Early Life through Later Life: Implications for Public Health Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-21, November.
    3. Marsela Tanaka & Konstantinos Petsios & Stavroula K. Dikalioti & Stavroula Poulopoulou & Vassiliki Matziou & Stamatios Theocharis & Ioanna D. Pavlopoulou, 2018. "Lead Exposure and Associated Risk Factors among New Migrant Children Arriving in Greece," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-10, May.
    4. You Li & Jian Qin & Xiao Wei & Chunhong Li & Jian Wang & Meiyu Jiang & Xue Liang & Tianlong Xia & Zhiyong Zhang, 2016. "The Risk Factors of Child Lead Poisoning in China: A Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Howard W. Mielke, 2016. "Editorial: Lead Risk Assessment and Health Effects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-3, June.
    6. Adam Laycock & Simon Chenery & Elizabeth Marchant & Helen Crabbe & Ayoub Saei & Ekaterine Ruadze & Michael Watts & Giovanni S. Leonardi & Tim Marczylo, 2022. "The Use of Pb Isotope Ratios to Determine Environmental Sources of High Blood Pb Concentrations in Children: A Feasibility Study in Georgia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-18, November.
    7. Charles R. Rogers & Justin X. Moore & Danielle R. Gilmore & Ethan Petersen & Ellen Brooks & Carson Kennedy & Roland J. Thorpe, 2022. "Investigation of Differences in Allostatic Load among Black Men by Level of Educational Attainment: High School Graduates Experience the Highest Levels of Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    8. Tahir Bashir & Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, 2022. "The Association between Multiple Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances’ Serum Levels and Allostatic Load," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-12, April.
    9. Ekaterine Ruadze & Giovanni S. Leonardi & Ayoub Saei & Irma Khonelidze & Lela Sturua & Vladimer Getia & Helen Crabbe & Tim Marczylo & Paolo Lauriola & Amiran Gamkrelidze, 2021. "Reduction in Blood Lead Concentration in Children across the Republic of Georgia following Interventions to Address Widespread Exceedance of Reference Value in 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:20:p:6912-:d:1258660. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.