TY - JOUR
T1 - A case study of the health impacts in an abandoned lead mining area, using children's blood lead levels
AU - Garavan, C.
AU - Breen, J.
AU - Moles, R.
AU - O'Regan, B.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - An environmental investigation was initiated following the deaths of cattle from lead poisoning in a former Irish lead and zinc mining area. A study was undertaken to determine blood lead levels (BLL) of children living in the area over a period of three years. Dust and soil samples were collected for environmental lead exposure assessment. The BLL of the children decreased by ∼ 10% in each of the three years of the screening programme. These levels are at, or below, findings from similar BLL studies undertaken in former mining areas worldwide. The study in this report suggests that the elevated environmental lead (Pb) levels are not currently being transferred to humans. Community awareness of environmental health issues has increased significantly in recent years, creating the need for more detailed scientific studies that can identify potential environmental health problems. The Silvermines project was one such study. The objective of this article is to report the study findings.
AB - An environmental investigation was initiated following the deaths of cattle from lead poisoning in a former Irish lead and zinc mining area. A study was undertaken to determine blood lead levels (BLL) of children living in the area over a period of three years. Dust and soil samples were collected for environmental lead exposure assessment. The BLL of the children decreased by ∼ 10% in each of the three years of the screening programme. These levels are at, or below, findings from similar BLL studies undertaken in former mining areas worldwide. The study in this report suggests that the elevated environmental lead (Pb) levels are not currently being transferred to humans. Community awareness of environmental health issues has increased significantly in recent years, creating the need for more detailed scientific studies that can identify potential environmental health problems. The Silvermines project was one such study. The objective of this article is to report the study findings.
KW - Abandoned mines
KW - Blood lead levels
KW - Children
KW - Community education programme
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55349091369&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/17480930802109885
DO - 10.1080/17480930802109885
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:55349091369
SN - 1748-0930
VL - 22
SP - 265
EP - 284
JO - International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment
JF - International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment
IS - 4
ER -
