Lead Exposure and Accumulation in Healthy Thais: Assessed by Lead Levels, EDTA Mobilization and Heme Synthesis-related Parameters
WIN AI WANANUKUL, M.D.*, CHARUW AN SRIAPHA, M.Sc. *, NARUM ON CHUNVIMALUANG, B.Sc. **, WISARINEE BORIBOON, MLT. **, JINTANA SIRIVARASAI, M.Sc.*, VANTIKA CHANA TARA, M.Sc.*, ANOOT KEANPOOMPUANG, MLT.**, KANJANA PUMALA, M.Sc.***, SMING KAOJARERN, M.D.*
Affiliation : * Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, Department of Medicine, **Division of Toxicology, Department of Pathology, ***Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Abstract
Lead is one of the pollutants which is of public concern. The magnitude of lead contamina-
tion in Thai people is of interest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the lead status in
normal healthy volunteers.
Normal volunteers were included. The blood for lead level, Zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP),
0-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activity, and baseline urine for lead, 0-aminolevulinic
acid (ALA) and coproporphyrinogen III (CP3) were collected. The EDTA mobilization test was
done. 24 hour urine after administration of the drug was collected for lead analysis.
Thirty volunteers were included in the study. All were men whose average age was
32.5±6.9 years. The mean lead level was 5.95±2.01 Jlg/dL and 5.83±2.32 Jlg!L in urine. The 24
hour urine lead contents before and after EDTA administration were significantly different
(11.11±6.72 and 16.05±9.51 Jlg respectively). Blood ALA-D activity was 251.6±80.4 unit/ml of
RBC. Urine ALA and CP3 were 0.56±1.2 mg!L and 22.17±23.9 Jlg/L respectively. All were in the
normal ranges.
All parameters suggested that the healthy Thai volunteers had an acceptable magnitude of
lead exposure and accumulation.
Keywords :
