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PUNE: It’s not just Maggi, there are several sources around that can expose us to lead. In an eye-opening analysis, a city laboratory has found unsafe lead levels in a whopping 43% of the 309 blood samples it tested.The tests were conducted at Golwilkar Metropolis Health Services , the city’s first blood lead level testing centre, over a period of one year from June 1, 2014 to June 1, 2015. A similar analysis done by the testing centre in 2013-14 had found 30% of 123 blood samples with unsafe lead levels.“Lead poisoning can be hard to detect. Even people who apparently seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their blood. The signs and symptoms of such poisoning usually don’t surface until the lead is accumulated in a dangerously high proportion,” said pathologist Awanti Golwilkar-Mehendale, adding that lead poisoning can be treated if detected at an early stage.Puneites who gave the blood samples at Golwilkar Metropolis either did so on their own or on doctors’ advice as they were suffering from chronic anaemia or neurological or physiological problems. The symptoms of lead toxicity range from decreased IQ, decreased hearing, anaemia and damage to the nervous system and kidney.Golwilkar Metropolis is under the auspices of the Bangalore-based National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning Prevention in India (NRCLPI), which was established by the George Foundation with St John’s National Institute of Health Sciences. Maharashtra has another such lead clinic at Karad.Pathologist Manisha Patwardhan of Golwilkar Metropolis, who conducted the analysis, said the lead level in the blood should not exceed 10 micrograms/dL (mcg/dL). “In 7% cases, the level was an alarming 70 mcg/dL. Of the 309 samples tested in Pune, 13 were of children aged below six. Of these 13 children, eight had elevated (abnormal) levels of lead while a six-year-old child had more than 15 micrograms/dL which is considered critical,” she said.Major sources of lead include contaminated soil, drinking water, petrol emissions, household dust, battery recycling, silver refining, paints, pigments, printing presses, ceramic pottery glazes, cosmetics, colours (including kumkum, sindoor, spices and Holi colours), children’s toys, plant foods and traditional medicines.“Diets too high or low in protein, high in fat, low in calcium, iron and zinc can also increase lead levels in the blood,” Golwilkar said.Experts say conditions such as irritability, fatigue, weight and memory loss and abdominal pain among children is often linked to lead poisoning, with toys to blame in many cases. Though reputed firms use lead-free paint and safe plastic, there are daily-use items such as cheap plastic mugs, lead pencils, cheap colours and crayons that can be hazardous, as also cheap toys with toxic paint.Rajas Deshpande, director of the neurology department at Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “Lead poisoning is indeed quite common, and the same in children is really threatening. Old houses (wadas) and old plumbing present the greatest risks. All our paints are not yet lead-free. Borewell water too often has lead. Then there are roadside eateries that use colours and Chinese foodstalls. Animals grown on farms for food should be tested for lead, mercury, other metals and steroids. Increasing fibre intake helps reduce lead absorption in the gut.”High levels of lead in the blood can cause inflammation as well as degeneration of the brain, Deshpande said. “Such damage is mostly permanent. Medicines can only flush out the lead from the body but there is no medicine to reverse the damage caused by lead toxicity,” he added.Senior neurologist Sudhir Kothari said that apart from people working in battery-related industries, those who take certain ayurvedic medicines also usually have elevated levels of lead in the blood. “Some ayurvedic medicines have been found to have high levels of metals including lead. Patients have symptoms of neuropathy such as tingling, numbness or weakness in the legs or hands. Some have brain-related symptoms like dullness and impaired memory,” he said.Environmental expert Amar Dhere said the pesticides sprayed on vegetables contain toxic metals like lead, mercury and arsenic. “The residue of lead and mercury are found in vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and capsicums. The concentration of these toxic metals is 12-21% higher than the permissible limits,” he said.Lead poisoning affects over 100 million people in India, especially children, pregnant women and workers in certain occupations. A recent study by The George Foundation in seven major Indian cities had found that more than 50% children less than 12 years of age had elevated levels of lead in their blood.