Biochemical and Toxicological Response of Infant Baboons to Lead Driers in Paint

In an effort to define the toxicology and disposition of lead compounds that presently exist in paint (i.e., organic driers), a controlled dose feeding study was initiated early this year with the use of 28 infant baboons as experimental animals. The infant baboon, established as a metabolic model for a child ingesting lead, will be used to determine the adequacy of present as well as recently recommended limitations for lead in paint to assure protection from this potential source of lead exposure. To accomplish this goal, research has been designed to determine basic dose–response relationships in animals ingesting constant daily doses of a dried paint, a lead octoate drier, and lead acetate. Doses for these compounds have been chosen to cover a broad range of concentrations including that recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics from the maximum daily permissible lead ingestion, and associated estimates of paint intake by children with pica. Parameters of metabolic response for each lead compound, include: general clinical surveillance, lead concentrations in blood, urine and feces, erythrocytic δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and free erythrocytic porphyrin. The response of several of these measures of lead exposure as a function of time will be discussed for each compound at the several dose levels administered.