Saliva as a matrix for biomonitoring of occupational and environmental exposure to lead

• Authors: Jackie Morton , Elizabeth Leese , Anne-Helen Harding , Kate Jones , Ovnair Sepai
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Background: To evaluate whether salivary lead can be
used as a surrogate for blood lead, and if so, over what
concentration range. Methodology: Three saliva devices were evaluated and
one chosen to undertake this project. Paired saliva and
blood samples were collected from 89 UK lead workers.
Lead concentrations were determined using ICP-MS. In
addition, haemoglobin and ZPP levels were determined
in the blood samples and albumin was determined in
the saliva samples to investigate standardisation using
protein adjustments. Results: The chosen saliva device gave low but consistent
recoveries for lead in saliva and the blank levels were low.
The mean +/- SD blood lead level was 19.9 +/- 14 μg/dl;
the mean +/- SD saliva lead level was 19.1 +/- 32.5 μg/l for
89 workers. Log10-transformed data showed correlation
of r=0.69. The protein adjustments did not improve the
blood-saliva correlation. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that salivary
lead measurement is feasible and correlated with blood
lead levels, at least at occupational exposure levels, and
may have value as a screening technique. Correlation
may improve at environmental levels where exposures
are generally more consistent and chronic, although this
needs to be demonstrated in a genuine environmental
population.

Keywords

EN

Lead; saliva; blood; workers; icp-ms

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Biomonitoring
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 1

Dates

accepted

11 - 9 - 2014

received

19 - 6 - 2014

online

3 - 10 - 2014

Contributors

author

Jackie Morton

• Health and Safety
  Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, SK17 9JN, UK

author

Elizabeth Leese

• Health and Safety
  Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, SK17 9JN, UK

author

Anne-Helen Harding

• Health and Safety
  Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, SK17 9JN, UK

author

Kate Jones

• Health and Safety
  Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, SK17 9JN, UK

author

Ovnair Sepai

• Public Health England, Centre for Radiation Chemical
  and Environmental Hazards, Didcot, OX11 0RQ

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/bimo-2014-0008