Immunological function among people exposed to lead, cadmium, and arsenic pollution

ObjectiveTo study immunological function among the people exposed to lead-cadmium-arsenic mixture in lead-zinc mining area.MethodsMiners and inhabitants in mining area and inhabitants in clean area(96 persons)were selected as research subjects.The contents of lead,cadmium,and arsenic in the environment, and the mimune index and contents of lead,cadmium,and arsenic in blood and urine of the subjects were analyzed and compared.ResultsThe geometric mean of lead,cadmium,arsenic in the blood of miners was 216.57,5.04,and 58.65μg/L,respectively;the geometric mean of those elements in the blood of inhabitants of the mining area was 143.62,2.42 and 33.24μg/L,re spectively.The means were higher than that of in contrast group(geometric mean:81.54,1.18,and 11.50μg/L,respectively,P<0.01).The contents of lead,cadmium,and a rsenic in the urine among the groups were significantly different(P<0.01).Compared with the contrast group,the immune function of the miners and the inhabitants in the minming area was decreased(P<0.01).ConclusionThe mimune function of the miners and inhabitants in mining area is impaired by lead,cadmium,and arsenic pollution.