Blood lead levels in shopkeepers and car traffic pollution in Liguria, Italy.

A study was conducted into the exposure to atmospheric pollution caused by car traffic by measuring blood lead (PbB) levels in a sample of 657 adult individuals (shopkeepers) all living in Liguria. The mean level of blood lead in all examined individuals was 9.39 micrograms dl-1 (0.45 mumol per liter; C.I. 95%: 9.06-9.75 micrograms dl-1; 0.44-0.47 mumol per liter) with a range between 2.0 and 46.03 micrograms dl-1 (0.10-2.22 mumol per liter). The average Pb values in individuals working in streets with high and very high traffic was 8.30 micrograms dl-1 (0.40 mumol per liter; C.I. 95%: 7.41-9.31 micrograms dl-1; 0.36-0.45 mumol per liter) and 9.98 micrograms dl-1 (0.48 mumol per liter; C.I. 95%: 9.62-10.37 micrograms dl-1; 0.46-0.50 mumol per liter), respectively. These average blood lead levels were statistically greater than the average PbB values of those working in low traffic streets (7.06 micrograms dl-1; 0.34 mumol per liter; C.I. 95%: 6.22-7.94 micrograms dl-1; 0.30-0.38 mumol per liter). The percentile distribution (50th, 90th and 98th P) for all subgroups surveyed has always proved to be below the maximum limits specified by EC Directive No. 77/312.