Heavy Metal Blood Levels and Hearing Loss in Children of West Bengal, India

INTRODUCTION: Heavy metals are a major environmental threat in India and there are several health risks associated with it. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the blood levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury and a sensoneurial hearing loss in children aged one to ten years. METHOD: Heavy metal blood levels were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, with appropriate quality control. RESULTS: We found significantly higher blood lead concentration (mg/L; Mean ± SE) in children with a hearing loss (53.2 ± 4.4) compared to healthy controls (38.4 ± 4.7)/P = 0 0.03/. CONCLUSION: Children’s blood lead levels ≥ 50 mg/L compared to the levels < 10 mg/L were associated with increased probability of hearing loss (OR, 48.8; 95% CI, 41.9–55.6). The differences in the blood levels of cadmium, arsenic, and mercury between the children with a hearing loss and controls were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05).