Lead levels in Birmingham dusts and soils.

Lead concentrations were measured in housedust, pavement dust, road dust and garden soil in and around 97 inner-city houses in Birmingham, England. The highest mean dust lead concentration within the home, 615 micrograms g-1, was noted in samples from under the doormat. Generally, the housedust lead levels were lower than the national mean (507 micrograms g-1), although soil lead concentrations were slightly higher. The age of the property was found to influence the lead levels in both housedust and garden soil, with older houses (greater than 35 years) having significantly higher concentrations than newer properties (less than 35 years). Houses being decorated at the time of sampling were found to have significantly higher lead concentrations than those that were not. Elevated lead levels were also noted in housedust and garden soil from houses located within a 500 m radius of commercial garages. Increased lead concentrations were found in soil samples from gardens in close proximity to waste land (demolition sites and tips), metal-using industries and from those within 10 m of a road. Road dust samples from industrial areas had significantly higher lead concentrations than those from residential areas.