While environmental contamination from lead is decreasing in industrialised countries, primarily because of comprehensive legislation to control production and use of the metal, many developing countries experience an increasing pollution due to growing industrialisation. Lead concentrations in human primary teeth reflect children’s exposure to the metal during early life. Objectives: In this pilot study we wanted to gather information on the level of lead exposure in Ethiopian children, and look for differences in exposure in rural and urban areas. Methods: Primary incisors, exfoliated 1998-2000, were collected from two rural villages in Wonji Shoa Sugar Estate, Rift Valley, and from six primary schools for middle class children in Addis Ababa. The teeth were dissolved in nitric acid in a microwave oven and analysed for lead by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: The teeth from Addis Ababa had statistically significant higher lead concentrations than those from Rift Valley (Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, P<0.05). The results are shown in the table below. All measured values are micrograms lead per gram of tooth substance.
| Village A | Village K | Addis Ababa | |
| Median | 0.43 (n=49) | 0.33 (n=51) | 1.09 (n=46) |
| Q1 – Q3 | 0.35 - 0.78 | 0.22 - 0.50 | 0.74 - 1.74 |
One possible explanation for the higher tooth lead level in Addis Ababa may be the traffic density in the capital and the use of leaded petrol. No cases of very high lead concentrations were found. The child population in Addis Ababa was, however, only represented by middle class children living in residential areas. Teeth from lower class children living close to roads with heavy traffic and/or close to industries, should be further investigated. Conclusion: The results indicate that child lead exposure in rural Ethiopia is very low, and significantly lower than in the urban population of middle class children from Addis Ababa.