STUDY OF LEAD AND CADMIUM CONTENT OF SURFACE ENAMEL OF SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM AN INDUSTRIAL-AREA IN BELGIUM

The amount of lead and cadmium was determined in surface enamel from permanent teeth of schoolchildren by means of an acid etch surface enamel microbiopsy method. Lead and cadmium levels were calculated on the amount of etched enamel. A comparison of the concentrations of these heavy metals was made between children (7 and 11 yr) from a school close to a non-ferrous metal plant and children from the same age group from a school situated nearby the same plant but in a zone polluted to a lesser degree. The lead concentrations in enamel biopsies from the first group were significantly higher than those from the second group. Cadmium shows the same trend but on a much lower level. A significant correlation between lead and cadmium was also found in both groups.