Psychological and Physical Complaints of Subjects with Low Exposure to Lead

Abstract

1 The relationship between lead uptake level and subjective psychological and physical symptoms was investigated in two groups of occupationally exposed workers with PbB levels between 45 and 60 μg/100 ml and below 35 μg/100 ml respectively. Findings were compared with those of a non-exposed control group.

2 Psychological symptomatology as defined by the GHQ proved unsensitive to low levels of lead exposure, while physical symptomatology as defined by the SSQ, in particular neurological symptoms, showed a significant tendency towards an uptake response relationship.

3 The minimum uptake level for neurological symptoms in this study was below 35μg/100 ml.

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