Atmospheric lead as indicator of children's blood lead in Mumbai India

Average concentration of Pb in air particulates in different suburbs of Mumbai during 1998-2001 varied between 0.11 and 0.35 $\mu$g m$^{-3}$. The concentration of Pb in all the residential suburban atmosphere is well below the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB, 1994) prescribed limit of 1 $\mu$g m$^{-3}$. The daily intake Pb for Mumbai children through ingestion was found to vary from 13.9-18.9 $\mu$g. The concentrations of Pb in blood of 6-lOy old children residing in different suburbs of Mumbai were found to vary from 8.3 to 9.8 $\mu$g dl$^{-l}$. The correlation between blood lead of children and air lead reveals that the blood Pb level in children could increase by 3.52 $\mu$g dl$^{-1}$ for an incremental rise of 1.0 $\mu$g m$^{-3}$ of air Pb concentration