Lead uptake from vegetables grown along highways.

Blood-lead levels were measured in tenants of vegetable gardens located in close proximity to busy highways (average: greater than 25000 vehicles per workday) in the Netherlands. For comparison, blood-lead levels were determined in tenants of vegetable gardens located away from busy traffic. The results indicate that there is no significant difference between the geometric mean blood-lead levels of the two populations, despite a 2-3-fold difference in the lead content of their vegetables, and despite frequent consumption of these vegetables in the exposed group. Mean PbB-values were around 0.48 mumol/1 (100 micrograms/1), which is well below existing health guidelines and slightly below the levels found in another recent survey of Dutch suburban residents.