Table 2 Biomarker levels among study participants (N = 278) by age group and study area, Ath, Belgium, 2009

Children (2.5 to 6 years)

n = 49

n = 49

n = 98

 Blood lead, μg/l

18.2 (15.9–20.9) [6–66]

14.8 (12.6–17.4) [3–68]^a

16.6 (14.8–18.2) [3–68]

Children (7 to 11 years)

n = 38

n = 36

n = 74

 Blood lead, μg/l

15.5 (13.2–18.2)

14.1 (11.8–17.4) [4–50]

14.8 (13.2–16.6) [4–50]

 Blood cadmium, μg/l

0.13 (0.11–0.15) [0–0.3]

0.14 (0.12–0.16) [0–0.2]

0.13 (0.12–0.15) [0–0.3]

 Urinary cadmium, μg/g cr

0.07 (0.05–0.09) [0.01–0.22]

0.06 (0.04–0.07) [0.02–0.20]

0.06 (0.05–0.07) [0.01–0.22]

 Urinary cobalt, μg/g cr

0.38 (0.29–0.50) [0.08–1.27]

0.29 (0.23–0.36) [0.09–0.68]

0.33 (0.28–0.39) [0.08–1.27]

 Urinary chromium, μg/g cr

0.18 (0.15–0.21) [0.06–0.47]

0.18 (0.15–0.23) [0.07–0.48]

0.18 (0.16–0.21) [0.06–0.48]

 Urinary nickel, μg/g cr

1.75 (1.46–2.09) [0.37–3.92]

1.75 (1.37–2.26) [0.30–5.74]

1.75 (1.51–2.03) [0.30–5.74]

 Urinary RBP, μg/g cr

105.1 (86.5–128.7) [25.6–352]

98.2 (72.0–128.7) [17.1–735]

100.6 (85.0–119.2) [17.1–735]

Men (40–60 years)

n = 27

n = 25

n = 52

 Blood lead, μg/l

31.2 (26.4–36.9) [14–85]

32.3 (26.1–40.0) [12–118]

31.7 (27.9–36.1) [12–118]

 Blood cadmium, μg/l

0.25 (0.19–0.33) [0.1–1.2]

0.38 (0.29–0.50) [0.1–1.7]

0.30 (0.25–0.37) [0.1–1.7]

 Urinary cadmium, μg/g cr

0.22 (0.16–0.30) [0.05–0.87]

0.20 (0.14–0.30) [0.04–0.78]

0.21 (0.17–0.27) [0.04–0.87]

 Urinary cobalt, μg/g cr

0.15 (0.11–0.20) [0.06–0.58]

0.18 (0.13–0.25) [0.06–1.84]

0.16 (0.13–0.20) [0.06–1.84]

 Urinary chromium, μg/g cr

0.13 (0.10–0.16) [0.05–0.33]

0.16 (0.13–0.21) [0.05–0.35]

0.14 (0.12–0.17) [0.05–0.35]

 Urinary nickel, μg/g cr

0.65 (0.51–0.84) [0.21–2.58]

0.69 (0.51–0.92) [0.20–2.16]

0.67 (0.56–0.80) [0.20–2.58]

 Urinary RBP, μg/g cr

96.0 (66.7–138.2) [2.9–388]

93.4 (79.9–109.8) [44.2–192]

94.9 (78.1–115.2) [2.9–388]

 Urinary albumin, mg/l

7.85 (5.85–10.54) [5.6–52.4]

9.29 (6.40–13.49) [5.6–101]

8.52 (6.78–10.72) [5.6–101]

Women (40–60 years)

n = 28

n = 26

n = 54

 Blood lead, μg/l

22.5 (18.0–28.2) [4–57]

20.3 (15.6–26.5) [6–93]

21.4 (18.1–25.3) [4–93]

 Blood cadmium, μg/l

0.37 (0.29–0.47) [0.2–1.9]

0.39 (0.32–0.47) [0.2–1.6]

0.38 (0.33–0.44) [0.2–1.9]

 Urinary cadmium, μg/g cr

0.23 (0.17–0.33) [0.04–0.78]

0.25 (0.18–0.34) [0.05–1.0]

0.25 (0.20–0.30) [0.04–1.0]

 Urinary cobalt, μg/g cr

0.20 (0.16–0.26) [0.07–0.40]

0.22 (0.17–0.29) [0.09–1.12]

0.21 (0.18–0.25) [0.07–1.12]

 Urinary chromium, μg/g cr

0.17 (0.14–0.20) [0.06–0.32]

0.18 (0.15–0.21) [0.07–0.29]

0.17 (0.15–0.20) [0.06–0.32]

 Urinary nickel, μg/g cr

1.30 (1.05–1.61) [0.66–3.25]

0.96 (0.72–1.29) [0.17–2.02]

1.10 (0.91–1.33) [0.17–3.25]

 Urinary RBP, μg/g cr

121.4 (97.9–159.4) [47.1–411]

108.5 (87.5–134.5) [38.2–270]

115.9 (99.1–135.5) [38.2–411]

 Urinary albumin, mg/l

11.05 (6.94–17.60) [5.6–179]

8.44 (6.15–11.60) [5.6–46.7]

9.57 (7.33–12.50) [5.6–179]