Prevalence of elevated blood lead levels and risk factors among children living in Patna, Bihar, India 2020.

Childhood lead exposure remains a key health concern for officials worldwide, contributing some 600,000 new cases of intellectually disabled children annually. Most children affected by high exposure to lead live in low- and middle-income countries. The leaded gasoline phase out in India was completed in 2000. Yet, in 2020, an estimated 275 million children aged 0 to 9 years had blood lead levels (BLLs) � 5 μg/dL known to adversely affect intelligence and behavior. Lead sources reported in India include spices, cookware, paint, traditional medicines and cosmetics, and lead-acid battery recycling and repair. However, their relative contribution has not been characterized. More than 200 lead pollution sites relatedto battery recycling and repair activities were identified in Bihar and Jharkhand, India. Ninetypercent of the recycling sites had soil lead concentrations exceeding the US