Blood lead levels of children in urban and suburban areas in China (1997–2015): Temporal and spatial variations and influencing factors

Blood lead (Pb) poisoning is a worldwide heath problem, especially in developing countries. As the largest developing country in the world, China faces severe health challenges, in particular the threat of blood Pb poisoning. In this study, the temporal trend of Chinese children's blood lead levels (BLLs) and blood lead poisoning incidence (BLPI) (percentage of BLL>100μg/L) and its influencing factors were investigated. We collected articles on children's BLLs published from 1997 to 2017 with sampling time from 1997 to 2015 by searching the databases of VIP Medical Information System (VMIS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data. After a rigorous investigation, 259 articles with eligible inclusion criteria were reviewed. Meanwhile, the data of Pb concentrations in the soil of 23 cities and the annual mean PM10 (particulate matter