Relationship between bone lead and other indices of lead exposure in smelter workers

The relationship between blood lead (B-Pb) indices and bone lead was determined in 81 smelter workers. Lead exposure had changed dramatically since the smelter opened 27 years ago; therefore, workers were stratified by years employed. Seventy workers, hired prior to 1979 (Group 1), had a mean (range) age of 46 years (35-64), mean years of employment 23 (16-27), mean years of education 8 (0-13), mean B-Pb 26 micrograms dl-1 (13-43), mean …