Measurement of blood‐lead levels in school children of Jeddah Saudi Arabia and assessment of sub‐toxic levels of lead on some sensitive hematological parameters

Abstract

Blood samples from 200 Saudi Arabian school boys, aged 6–8 years, were analyzed for their Pb concentrations by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, Mean Blood‐Pb concentration was found to be 6.9 (±3.4) ug/dl. The blood samples were also examined for some hematological parameters : total counts of erythrocytes and leucocytes, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and basophilic stippling, using a Coulter Counter. All values obtained were within the ‘normal ranges’. However, the hematological effects of sub‐toxic levels of Pb in blood were assessed by considering the seven cases whose Blood‐Pb values were between 15 ‐ 25 ug/dl. The data indicate that sub‐toxic levels of Pb in blood may be related to early stages of microcytic anemia.

Key words:

• Lead Pollution
• Lead in Blood
• Microcytic Anemia
• RBC
• Hematocrit
• Hemoglobin and AAS.

Notes

Principal Author to whom all correspondences should be addressed.

Principal Investigator of the KACST Project No.AR7–094 of which this work forms a part.