A new study in Environmental Health Perspectives studies blood lead levels in women of childbearing age (15-49 years old) from 1976-2016. The shows the first form of air pollution tackled by the EPA in the 1970s.
As a result of the Clean Air Act signed by President Nixon, the EPA began a phaseout in lead added to gasoline in 1976.
This study looked at blood lead levels in women of childbearing age from 1976-2016. They used data from the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Study).
At the beginning, in NHANES II study in 1976-80, average blood lead levels in women were 10.4μg/dL. By NHANES III in 1988-91, average blood lead levels had dropped to 1.85μg/dL. By the NHANES in 2011-2016, average blood lead levels had dropped further, to 0.61μg/dL.
Women who have lead in their body can pass it on to their babies when they are pregnant. This is one of the first successes of the Clean Air Act, getting the lead out of gasoline and improving the health of everyone, especially women and children. When we breathe clean air, we are all healthier! #CleanAir #CleanAir4Kids
