Population-based biomonitoring in the Czech Republic — the system and selected results

In the framework of the system of monitoring the environmental impact on population health, the concentration of lead, cadmium and selenium in blood and cadmium in urine was measured in adults (n = 670), children (n = 599) and umbilical blood (n = 549) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Furthermore, cytogenetic analysis of peripheral lymphocytes in all population groups under study was investigated. The median blood Pb level for the overall group of adults (47.8 μg/l, i.e. 0.23 μmol/l) was significantly higher in men (51.5 μg/l, i.e. 0.25 μmol/l). Smoking significantly influenced the blood Pb level in women. The 90th percentile in no group exceeded the value of 100 μg/l (0.48 μmol/l). The median blood Cd level in adults (0.9 μg/l, i.e. 0.008 μmol/l) depends on smoking habit (1.25 μg/l, i.e. 0.01 μmol/l). The median urine Cd level was 0.585 μg/g creatinine (0.59 μmol/mole creatinine) in adults and 0.37 μg/g creatinine (0.37 μmol/mole creatinine) in children. The median blood Se level (53.5 μ/l, i.e. 0.68 μmol/l) was found to be higher in the group of non-smokers (57.5 μg/l, i.e. 0.73 μmol/l). Lead and selenium level were significantly lower in the umbilical blood. Cytogenetic analysis results showed age-dependent average percentages of aberrant cells: 1.1% in umbilical blood, 1.27% in children and 1.71 in adults in line with the reference values for the Czech population.