Blood lead and cadmium levels and relevant factors among children from an e-waste recycling town in China

Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is ongoing in Guiyu, and thus toxic heavy metals may keep on threatening to the health of local children. Some related factors may contribute to the elevation of blood lead levels (BLLs) or blood cadmium levels (BCLs). To investigate the children's BLLs and BCLs in Guiyu and Chendian as compare to discuss the effects of primitive e-waste recycling activities on children's health. Two hundred and seventy-eight children less than 8 years who lived in Guiyu and Chendian were observed, and their BLLs and BCLs were determined by graphite atomizer absorption spectrophotometer. Questionnaire survey for risk factors was also performed and data were analyzed using spearman correlation analyses and logistic regression analyses. Children living in Guiyu had significantly higher BLLs and BCLs as compared with those living in Chendian ( p10 μg/dL, and 20.1% of children (31/154) had BCLs>2 μg/L, compared with 38.7% of children (48/124) had BLLs>10 μg/dL and 7.3% of children (9/124) had BCLs>2 μg/L in Chendian ( p