Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Boston College and Hunan University have found an association between infant mortality and the concentration of lead in the air.
While there might be a perception that much has been done to eradicate lead in our environment – removing it from petrol for example – global concentrations remain high, primarily due to industrial emissions and in some countries these emissions are increasing.
UNICEF recently revealed that one in every three children on the planet had levels of lead in their blood above 5 µg/dL (micrograms per decilitre), a benchmark for high lead exposure.
However, WHO emphasise that there is no safe blood lead concentration; even those as low as 3.5 can be associated with behavioural difficulties and learning problems in children.
The researchers used data from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), EPA monitors, and the confidential National Vital Statistics database to provide estimates of the effects of airborne lead on infant mortality in the USA.
It was found that increased levels of lead in the air causes higher infant mortality in the first month after birth and in the first year, suggesting that both in utero and environmental exposures are involved.
They also found an association between higher lead concentration and an increase in deaths from sudden unexplained infant death (SUID), respiratory and nervous system causes, and low birthweight.
Karen Clay, professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College, who led the study said: ‘Although many studies have examined the adverse effects of lead on children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes, few have analyzed the effect of exposure to lead on infants’ health, so we know little about the extent of harm to infants’ health from airborne lead in settings with modern medical care and at modern exposure levels.’
Co-author Edson Severnini, associate professor of economics at Boston College said: ‘Back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that declines in fugitive lead emissions prevented 34 to 59 infant deaths per year, generating benefits of $380 million to $670 million annually.’
Xiao Wang, assistant professor of economics and trade at Hunan University, who coauthored the study said: ‘In the United States, industrial firms and the aviation industry still emit hundreds of thousands of pounds of lead into the air. Our new estimates can inform investments in reducing air lead emissions and soil cleanups.’
The full research can be read here.
Photo by digifly840