Blood toxic metals and hemoglobin levels in Mexican children.

Metal toxicity can cause hematologic abnormalities and hemolysis. To evaluate the relationship of anemia with metal contamination in children, the following elements were quantified in dry blood: silicon, chromium, lead, titanium, vanadium, nickel, arsenic, manganese, and cadmium. A total of 88 samples of anemic children and 208 of non-anemic children aged 6-12 years were analyzed. Lead (35.1%), chromium (24.3%), vanadium (24.3%), nickel (45.6%), and silicon (48.6%) were identified in the samples, with titanium only detected in anemic children. The average level of arsenic was higher in anemic than non-anemic children (0.041 ± 0.11 wt% vs 0.014 ± 0.05 wt%, p < 0.05) and correlated with the concentration of hemoglobin (r = -0.441, p < 0.01). In conclusion, heavy metals, which confer a health risk, were detected in the dry blood of the children evaluated, and the levels of arsenic and titanium were found to be related to anemia.