Comprehensive study to be conducted in Moldova to assess population exposure to lead

Chisinau, 23 October /MOLDPRES/- A comprehensive study will be conducted in Moldova to assess the exposure of the population to lead, being used as bio-marker blood. The research will take place in the context of the International Lead Prevention Week, marked on 21-27 October.

According to the data of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, this year, the International Lead Prevention Week is carried out with the slogan "Prevention of exposure to lead compounds in paints", to raise awareness of the people on implementation of actions to combat the effects of lead on human health, especially, children’s health.

Exposure to lead represents about 9% of the global burden of intellectual disability without a known cause, 4% of the global burden of ischemic heart disease and 6.6% of the global stroke burden.

Doctors said that lead in the body affects the central nervous system and brain, reproductive system, kidneys, cardiovascular system, blood and immune system. High exposure to lead can lead to behavioral and mental disorders, is particularly dangerous for the child's brain, causing low intelligence and low attention, difficulties and impaired learning ability.

A study conducted within the project "Strengthening civil society capabilities in the implementation of the strategic approach of international chemical management in Moldova" shows that 30% of toys sold in the markets exceeded dozen times and sometimes hundreds of times the concentration of heavy metals, including lead. Also, statistics show that more than half of the paints used in Moldova exceed the allowed lead level.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor A. Răileanu)