Follow-Up of Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Sources in a Cohort of Children in Benin

Shukrullah Ahmadi, Barbara Le Bot, Roméo Zoumenou, Séverine Durand, Nadine Fiévet, Pierre Ayotte, Achille Massougbodji, Maroufou Jules Alao, Michel Cot, Philippe Glorennec and Florence Bodeau-Livinec
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Shukrullah Ahmadi: Centre of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Université de Paris, F-75004 Paris, France
Barbara Le Bot: Ecole des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm), Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail (Irset)—UMR_S 1085, University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Roméo Zoumenou: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Paris Descartes Université, 75006 Paris, France
Séverine Durand: Ecole des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm), Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail (Irset)—UMR_S 1085, University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Nadine Fiévet: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Paris Descartes Université, 75006 Paris, France
Pierre Ayotte: Axe Santé des Populations et Pratiques Optimales en Santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval—Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Quebec City, QC G1V 5B3, Canada
Achille Massougbodji: Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, 01 BP 526 Cotonou, Benin
Maroufou Jules Alao: Paediatric Service, Mother and Child Teaching Hospital (CHU-MEL), 01 BP 107 Cotonou, Benin
Michel Cot: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Paris Descartes Université, 75006 Paris, France
Philippe Glorennec: Ecole des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm), Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail (Irset)—UMR_S 1085, University of Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Florence Bodeau-Livinec: Ecole des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé)—UMR1153, F-35000 Rennes, France

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Lead exposure is associated with poor cognitive development in children. Very few studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have studied blood lead levels (BLLs) and non-gasoline sources of exposure in children. Data from a birth cohort in Benin (2011–2013) suggested that 58% of 1-year-old children had BLLs > 50 ug/L. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of elevated BLLs (>50 µg/L and >100 µg /L) among 425 of these children at 6 years of age in 2016–2018 and to compare BLLs between age 1 and 6 years, and study sources of lead at age 6 years. BLLs were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression and quantile regressions were used to study potential sources of lead. The prevalence of BLLs > 50 µg/L in children was 59.5% (Geometric Mean (GM) 56.4 µg/L, 95% CI: 54.1–58.7) at 6 years of age compared to 54.8% (GM 56.5 µg/L, 95% CI: 53.4–59.6) at 1 year of age. The prevalence of children with BLLs > 100 µg/L decreased from 14.4% at 1 year of age to 8.2% at 6 years of age. After adjustment for all other covariates, consumption of peanuts more than once per month was significantly associated with a 22.0% (95% CI: 4.6, 42.5) increment in BLLs at age 6 years compared with no consumption. Consumption of bushmeat killed by lead bullets at age 6 years was associated with an increase in the higher percentiles of BLLs (P75) compared with the absence of this source. Other potential sources of lead associated with BLLs with marginal significance were consumption of rice, paternal occupational exposure, and the presence of activity with the potential use of lead. This prospective cohort confirms the persistently high prevalence of elevated BLLs in children residing in a rural region in the south of Benin, as well as the presence of multiple and continuous sources of lead. These results highlight the need for prevention programs to reduce and eliminate lead exposure in children.

Keywords: lead poisoning; environmental health; toxic metals; Sub-Saharan Africa; environmental exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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