A study of the deposition of automobile emitted lead on properties adjoining a major transportation corridor

Includes bibliographical references (pages 58-63)The occurrence of lead in human populations is due to a\ud number of occupational and environmental exposures. Associations\ud between the levels of lead in blood and exposures to lead in air,\ud soils, foods, water, paints and other materials are well documented,\ud and have been reviewed within this study. In examining automobile emissions as a source of exposure,\ud a number of prior investigations have studied the relationship\ud between blood-lead and exposures to lead in air and soil environments.\ud In reviewing the literature, it is suggested that major limitations\ud are associated with the use of either soil- or air-lead in\ud reflecting total exposure to lead emissions. In the present study, the deposition of airborne lead is\ud examined in an area of residential housing adjoining a major\ud Los Angeles freeway. Site-specific determinations of lead deposition\ud rate, or the mass of lead aerially deposited per unit area per month,\ud were made with a sampling device developed pursuant to this research.\ud The regression of deposition rate on the variable, distance from\ud freeway, was examined. (See more in text