Checks on French children continue: lead poisoning is feared after the fire that struck Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himTHEfire that hit the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last April resulted in the release of lead particles in the environment.
Since lead is one toxic substance for various tissues and organs including the liver, kidneys, bones and brain, concern is growing among the French about the exposure of the population to this heavy metal.
They are mainly the toddleria be more vulnerable and the very little ones could suffer negative consequences on development and learning, caused by acute or chronic lead poisoning.
For this, in addition to monitoring the Notre Dame area and the neighboring neighborhoods, they are carried out analysis on children to evaluate blood levels of lead in children.
Recent tests carried out on the air quality in the arc of 500 meters around the Cathedral they were negative but the fear linked to the soil contamination: children could be exposed to lead by stepping on the earth where the dust of this mineral is present.
Check-ups on children have doubled in recent months and there are currently 164 children tested.
Of these, most reported blood values of lead below the alert threshold ranging from 25 to 50 micrograms of lead per liter of blood. Eleven children fall into the threshold while one presented values beyond the limit.
The child will not undergo therapy but will be monitored regularly and in the meantime we will try to understand what was the route of exposure to lead. It is not clear whether the child has inhaled or ingested lead at school or inside his home: the little one he attended an institute near the Cathedral but since the analyzes carried out on the sister - also enrolled in the same school - fall within the norm, it is possible that the exposure took place at home.
THEpollution in enclosed spaces it is in fact generally higher and in homes the lead dust threshold set at 70 μg / m2 can be exceeded, causing high levels of blood lead in children.
- buildings that arise in the area of the Cathedral come checked regularly for the measurement of lead levels and maximum attention is given to facilities that host children.
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Tatiana Maselli
