Lead levels determined in Swedish permanent teeth by particle-induced X-ray emission.

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Abstract
The determination of Pb in permanent teeth is a useful measure of past exposure in early childhood since these teeth are mineralized in early childhood. Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis was a method with good applicability for the contamination-free analysis of elements heavier than Ca in dental hard tissues. The method was rapid and nondestructive. The purpose of this study, which used the PIXE technique, was to survey the average level of Pb in the coronal dentin of permanent bicuspid teeth collected in 3 places representing Swedish urban and rural areas. Teeth from the New York City area [USA] were also analyzed. The material comprised 165 teeth from Sweden and, for comparison, 14 from New York City. The median value of Pb in the Swedish teeth was 2.9 .mu.g/g, a value indicating an insignificant influence from the environment in comparison to the New York teeth, for which the median value was 9.2 .mu.g/g. There was a statistically significant difference in the Pb concentration of teeth from large and small Swedish cities; this finding may have reflected different automobile traffic intensity.

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