BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN A REMOTE, UNPOLLUTED RURAL AREA IN SOUTH-AFRICA

Abstract

The whole-blood lead levels of 14-16-year-olds in a remote, unpolluted rural area (Wupperthal, northwestern Cape Province) were determined. Graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to analyse lead levels. The mean whole-blood lead level was foundto be 3.4 .mu.g/dl. This value should also be considered to be representative of the natural ''background'' whole-blood lead level of South Africans.