Lead Sources in Human Diet in Greenland

Although blood lead levels have declined in Greenland, they are still elevated despite the fact that lead levels in the Greenland environment are very low. Fragments of lead shot in game birds have been suggested as an important source of dietary exposure, and meals of sea birds, particularly eider,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Health Perspectives
Main Authors: Bjerregaard, Peter, Johansen, Poul, Mulvad, Gert, Pedersen, Henning Sloth, Hansen, Jens C.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: National Institue of Environmental Health Sciences 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247612
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15531433
https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7083
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Summary:Although blood lead levels have declined in Greenland, they are still elevated despite the fact that lead levels in the Greenland environment are very low. Fragments of lead shot in game birds have been suggested as an important source of dietary exposure, and meals of sea birds, particularly eider, contain high concentrations of lead. In a cross-sectional population survey in Greenland in 1993–1994, blood lead adjusted for age and sex was found to be associated with the reported consumption of sea birds. Participants reporting less than weekly intake of sea birds had blood lead concentrations of approximately 75 μg/L, whereas those who reported eating sea birds several times a week had concentrations of approximately 110 μg/L, and those who reported daily intake had concentrations of 170 μg/L (p = 0.01). Blood lead was not associated with dietary exposure to other local or imported food items.