Award Date

5-2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

First Committee Member

Shawn Gerstenberger, Chair

Second Committee Member

Chad Cross

Third Committee Member

Sheniz Moonie

Graduate Faculty Representative

Richard Tandy

Number of Pages

90

Abstract

Imported candies from Latin America pose a danger to children because of the potential for those candies to contain harmful levels of lead. This study sought to identify characteristics of imported candies that typically display higher concentrations of lead. This study also explored the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model developed by the EPA. Using lead exposure data specific to Clark County, Nevada, the IEUBK model was used to estimate the amounts of candy a child would have to consume in order to raise his blood lead level to over 10µg/dL (the federal allowable limit).

The results showed that candies with the ingredients chili or tamarind contained less lead concentrations than candies without chili or tamarind. Lead concentrations in candies from Clark County were typically very low (0.5µg/g) and the IEUBK model determined that, on average, children would have to consume large amounts of candy (~125 a day) to reach a blood lead level of 10µg/dL. However, in the event that some of those candies have an extremely high lead concentration (>1000µg/g) then it would only take a few of those candies to bring a child's blood lead level to dangerous levels. The results of this study illustrated the potential dangers and difficulties in dealing with leaded candies which prompts the need for continuous monitoring of a broader range of candies.

Keywords

Children; Clark County; Nevada; Imported candy; Latin American candies; Lead concentrations; Lead in candy; Salt; Sodium

Disciplines

Food and Drug Law | Food Science | Public Health

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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