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[ZD17] Levels of lead in children's blood in the Upper Meža Valley
Impacts

Key message
Neutral

Due to high levels of lead in the environment, area of Upper Meža Valley was proclaimed as a brownfield site in 2007 and received special remediation with the aim to protect human health, especially children. The data show that the burden of children with lead improved in the first years of the program, which was not the case after 2010. Prevalence study of blood lead burden of children from Meža Valley conducted in 2018 showed higher values of blood lead, than study conducted in 2013. In the period 2019 to 2021, the measured values were again lower and close to the goal value. For further improvement, it will be essential to implement appropriate measures, to improve the living environment and to maintain already achieved. In the future it will be required more targeted work with smaller groups and individual children, in which will be found an increased risk of lead and individual-oriented advice in on reducing child exposure to lead.

Charts

Figure ZD17-1: Share of blood samples of children aged three living in the Upper Mežica Valley (according to lead content target value is 100 µg/l blood), 2004–2021
Sources: 

National Institute of Public Health RU Ravne na Koroškem, 2019 (12. 10. 2021)

Show data
number of children[numb.]maximum level of lead[µg/l]minimum level of lead[µg/l]average lead[µg/l]more than 100 µg/l[%]50 µg/l or more and less than 100 µg/l[%]less than 50 µg/l[%]
20042037523174.8085105
20054230319113.64552619
20065048010115.30502624
2007705001697.83463024
2008733581382.42214733
2009742081765.55183449
2010116301946.5591972
20111102212157.2893556
2012842791565.58143551
2013613301256.18102566
2014665172276.20173549
2015833211965.10123355
2016893161857.4083458
2017903382372.50203842
2018871721759.80163351
2019874171347.7052868
2020802091137.9041680
2021661631248.6063361
Figure ZD17-2: Share of three-year old children from Upper and Lower Mežica Valley according to the level of lead in blood samples in 2018 (target value is 100 mg / l blood);
Sources: 

National Institute of Public Health RU Ravne na Koroškem, 2018 (30. 10. 2019)

Show data

0-50 µg/l[µg/l]

50-100 µg/l[µg/l]

100-200 µg/l[µg/l]

200-300 µg/l[µg/l]

300-400 µg/l[µg/l]

number of children[numb.]

0-50 µg/l[%]

50-100 µg/l[%]

100-200 µg/l[%]

200-300 µg/l[%]

300-400 µg/l[%]

Upper Mežica valley

44

29

14

0

0

87

51

33

16

0

0

Lower Mežica valley

178

20

1

0

1

200

89

10

0.50

0

0.50
Figure ZD17-3: The proportion of children, aged 1-9 years, from the Upper Mežica Valley, according to the values ??of lead in blood samples in 2018 (target value is 100 mg / l blood);
Sources: 

National Institute of Public Health RU Ravne na Koroškem, 2018 (30. 10. 2019)

Show data

0-50 µg/l[µg/l]

50-100 µg/l[µg/l]

100-200 µg/l[µg/l]

200-300 µg/l[µg/l]

300-400 µg/l[µg/l]

number of children[numb.]

average - lead[µg/l]

maximum level of lead[µg/l]

0-50 µg/l[%]

50-100 µg/l[%]

100-200 µg/l[%]

200-300 µg/l[%]

300-400 µg/l[%]

2018

197

91

28

0

0

316

51

172

62.30

28.80

8.90

0

0
Figure ZD17-4: Average levels of lead in blood of children from the Upper Mežica Valley in 2008, 2013 and 2018 according to age groups (target value is 100 µg/l blood)
Sources: 

National Institute of Public Health RU Ravne na Koroškem, 2018 (30. 10. 2019)

Show data

number of children 2008[numb.]

average lead 2008[µg/l]

maximum level of lead 2008[µg/l]

number of children 2013[numb.]

average lead 2013[µg/l]

maximum level of lead 2013[µg/l]

1 to 2 years

41

79

256

31

56

227

2 to 3 years

35

94

335

26

57

330

3 to 4 years

38

71

358

35

56

212

4 to 5 years

31

68

178

51

43

192

5 to 6 years

48

74

393

46

47

232

more than 6 years

49

56

195

33

35

127
Figure ZD17-5: Measures to address identified increased levels of lead in the blood
Sources: 

National Institute of Public Health RU Ravne na Koroškem, 2019 NIJZ,  (30. 10. 2019)

Show data
Figure ZD17-6: The average of geometric levels of lead in blood of children (*arithmetic average) measured in children in some European countries for the period 1990–2008, with stated age of children
Sources: 

ENHIS, 2009 (21. 01. 2014)

Show data

lead exposure[µg/l]

Romania, 1-9 years, 1999/00

104

Hungary, 4-6 years, 1996

61

Hungary, 4-6 years, 2006

19

Bulgaria, 6-15 years, 2003*

58

Russia, 2-6 years, 1997

56

Russia, 8-9 years, 2003/05

30

Slovenia, 3 years, 2008

47

France, 1-6 years, 1995/96

37

France, 0,5-6 years, 2002/04

24

Poland, 8-13 years, 2000

36

Czech Republic, 8-11 years, 1996/01

34

Czech Republic, 8-10 years, 2006

28

Germany, 6-14 years, 1990/92

32

Germany, 3-14 years, 2003/06

15

Sweden, 3-19 years, 1991/94

27

Sweden, 7-11 years, 2007

13

Belgium, 14-15 years, 2003/04

21

Ukraine, 3-7 years, 1990/04

16
Figure ZD17-7: The average geometric levels of lead in blood of children (* arithmetic average) measured in children in some European countries in the period 1990-2007, with the stated age of children
Sources: 

ENHIS, 2009 (21. 01. 2014)

Show data

lead exposure[µg/l]

Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk II., 3-7 years, 1990-04*

498

Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk I., 3-7 years, 1990-04*

156

Bulgaria, Kuklen, 6-15 years, 1999/00

276

Bulgaria, Kuklen, 6-15 years, 2003

236

Bulgaria, Kurdzali, 6-15 years, 2003*

93

TFYR Macedonia, Veles, 10-14 years, 2003*

165

TFYR Macedonia, Veles, 10-14 years, 2004*

76

Russia, Far East, 3-7 years, 2007/08*

159

Russia, Lipezk, Gus, Podolsk, 5-7 years, 1998/04

46

Russia, Sverdlovsk Oblast, 3-7 years, 2007/08*

32

Poland, Silesia, 2-7 years, 1993/99

63

Poland, Legnica-Glogow, 8-13 years, 2000/03

53

Slovenia, Upper Mežica valley, 1-9 let, 2008

59

Madžarska, Heves County, 3-15 years, 2007

40
Last modified: 13.10.2021
Author(s): Matej Ivartnik, Helena Pavlič, Neda Hudopisk; National Institute of Public Health, Regional Unit Ravne na Koroškem

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