BLOOD TOXIC METALS AND HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS IN MEXICAN CHILDREN

Metal toxicity can cause hematologic abnor-malities and hemolysis. To evaluate the relationship ofanemia with metal contamination in children, the fol-lowing elements were quantified in dry blood: silicon,chromium, lead, titanium, vanadium, nickel, arsenic,manganese, and cadmium. A total of 88 samples ofanemic children and 208 of non-anemic children aged6?12 years were analyzed. Lead (35.1%), chromium(24.3%), vanadium (24.3%), nickel (45.6%), and silicon(48.6%) were identified in the samples, with titaniumonly detected in anemic children. The average level ofarsenic was higher in anemic than non-anemic children(0.041 0.11 wt% vs 0.014 0.05 wt%, p < 0.05) andcorrelated with the concentration of hemoglobin