Abstract
This study aims to investigate whether known carcinogenic chemical elements in atmospheric deposition might be associated with child mortality due to leukemia in the Portuguese population. A Bayesian hierarchical model was used to explore the association between lichen biomonitoring measurements of four elements—As, Hg, Ni, Pb—and childhood leukemia death counts taken at small administrative units. This geographical epidemiological study found a non-significant positive association between the risk of childhood leukemia and levels of arsenic, mercury and lead, and a non-significant negative association between the disease and the level of nickel. Lead seems to show a weaker association with childhood leukemia than arsenic and mercury.
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Martinho, M., Freitas, M.C. Spatial regression analysis between air pollution and childhood leukaemia in Portugal. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 281, 175–179 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0124-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0124-5