Monitoring of blood lead levels in Hungary.

Monitoring of blood lead levels (BLL) in children started in Hungary only in the 80's. A study on exposed areas of Budapest and Szolnok indicated a mean BLL higher than 20 micrograms/dl. Data from studies show a strong relationship between the BLLs of children and traffic. As a result of reduction of the lead content of gasoline, the BLLs of children decreased steeply in the early 90's. In 1994 a 6.9 micrograms/dl mean BLL was found in school children living in provincial towns, and 7.9% of the data exceeded the limit of 10 micrograms/dl. Recently a representative survey in preschool children (n = 1401, age 0-4 years) showed a mean BLL of 5.7 micrograms/dl, and only 4.7% exceeded the limit of 10 micrograms/dl. Despite this improvement nation-wide the condition is not satisfactory. Children are exposed to risk because of socioeconomic problems, carelessness, lack of public awareness. Such dangerous situations were created in the last two years by contamination of paprika powder, and battery dismantling without permission.