Prediction of blood lead levels in children before and after remediation of soil samples in the upper Meza Valley, Slovenia

The Meza Valley, Slovenia, has been contaminated by Pb smelting, resulting in an epidemic of lead poisoning in childhood. The potential of remediation with EDTA soil washing to mitigate the risk from Pb poisoning was investigated by applying the Integrated Exposure Uptake Bio-kinetic (IEUBK) model. Soils from 79 locations were collected and the total and bio-accessible Pb concentrations were determined before and after extraction with 60 mmol kg−1 EDTA. Extraction reduced the soil Pb concentration in towns of Mezica, Zerjav and Crna by 53, 67 and 62%, respectively, and the concentration of in vitro bio-accessible Pb in the simulated human gastric phase by 2.6-, 3.2- and 2.9-times, respectively. The predictions of the IEUBK model based on Pb contamination data were verified with data on blood Pb levels in children. The IEUBK model predicted that, after soil remediation, the number of locations at which the expected blood Pb level in children was higher than the stipulated 10 μg d L−1 would decrease by 90, 38 and 91% in the towns of Mezica, Zerjav and Crna, respectively. The results confirmed the feasibility of soil washing with EDTA as an efficient remediation measure in Mezica and Crna and advice for soil capping/removal for the most polluted town of Zerjav.