Lead Analysis of the House Dust: A Method for the Detection of Another Source of Lead Exposure in Inner City Children*

A method has been developed to test the hypothesis that lead-containing house dust is responsible for the elevated levels of lead in blood of inner city children. Dust analyses of smears from the floors, walls, and windowsills in low-income inner city dwellings have shown a median concentration of lead five times as high in suburban homes. It is suggested that lead-containing dust may be one of the most important environmental sources of increased lead exposure in this specific population group.