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Document ID (ISN)75139
CIS number 00-1065
ISSN - Serial title 0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Year 1999
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Löfstedt H., Seldén A., Storéus L., Bodin L.
Title Blood lead in Swedish police officers
Bibliographic information May 1999, Vol.35, No.5, p.519-522. Illus. 10 ref.
Abstract Shooting with lead-containing ammunition in firing ranges is a well-known source of lead exposure in adults, and police officers may be at risk of lead intoxication. Swedish police officers considered as the most active shooters on and/or off duty responded to a questionnaire about health, lifestyle, shooting habits and potential lead exposure. Blood samples were collected and analysed for PbB and a multivariate regression analysis was performed. The mean PbB in male officers was 0.24µmol/L, and in female officers it was even lower (0.18µmol/L). For both sexes combined, a positive correlation of PbB with the number of bullets annually fired both on and off duty was observed and this finding remained in a multiple regression analysis including age, smoking habits and latency from last shooting exercise. Occupational and recreational lead exposure from firing ranges still seems to be a source of lead exposure in Swedish police officers, but it no longer appears to he a health risk. Lead-free ammunition and well-ventilated indoor firing ranges may have been decisive for this encouraging finding.
Descriptors (primary) lead; police forces; firearms
Descriptors (secondary) Sweden; smoking; ammunition; ventilation; determination in blood; questionnaire survey; age-linked differences; sex-linked differences; statistical evaluation; exposure evaluation
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceSweden
Subject(s) Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Chemical safety
Browse category(ies) Inorganic substances
Fire fighting, police, prisons and the armed forces
Lead and compounds