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A Temporal Association between Accumulated Petrol (Gasoline) Lead Emissions and Motor Neuron Disease in Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Mark A. S. Laidlaw

    (Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia)

  • Dominic B. Rowe

    (Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Suite 204, 2 Technology Place Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia)

  • Andrew S. Ball

    (Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia)

  • Howard W. Mielke

    (Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana, LA 70112, USA)

Abstract

Background: The age standardised death rate from motor neuron disease (MND) has increased from 1.29 to 2.74 per 100,000, an increase of 112.4% between 1959 and 2013. It is clear that genetics could not have played a causal role in the increased rate of MND deaths over such a short time span. We postulate that environmental factors are responsible for this rate increase. We focus on lead additives in Australian petrol as a possible contributing environmental factor. Methods: The associations between historical petrol lead emissions and MND death trends in Australia between 1962 and 2013 were examined using linear regressions. Results: Regression results indicate best fit correlations between a 20 year lag of petrol lead emissions and age-standardised female death rate ( R 2 = 0.86, p = 4.88 × 10 −23 ), male age standardised death rate ( R 2 = 0.86, p = 9.4 × 10 −23 ) and percent all cause death attributed to MND ( R 2 = 0.98, p = 2.6 × 10 −44 ). Conclusion: Legacy petrol lead emissions are associated with increased MND death trends in Australia. Further examination of the 20 year lag between exposure to petrol lead and the onset of MND is warranted.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark A. S. Laidlaw & Dominic B. Rowe & Andrew S. Ball & Howard W. Mielke, 2015. "A Temporal Association between Accumulated Petrol (Gasoline) Lead Emissions and Motor Neuron Disease in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:12:p:15047-16135:d:60899
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lovei, M., 1998. "Phasing Out Lead From Gasoline. Worldwide Experience and Policy Implications," Papers 397, World Bank - Technical Papers.
    2. David C. Bellinger, 2011. "The Protean Toxicities of Lead: New Chapters in a Familiar Story," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-36, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Howard W. Mielke, 2016. "Editorial: Lead Risk Assessment and Health Effects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-3, June.
    2. Xuemeng Sun & Xiaoping Li & Dongying Liu & Tao Yang & Yanan Zhao & Ting Wu & Yue Cai & Yuwei Ai & Xu Zhang & Jiwen Wang & Rui Yang & Hongtao Yu & Howard W. Mielke, 2018. "Use of a Survey to Assess the Environmental Exposure and Family Perception to Lead in Children (<6 Years) in Four Valley Cities, Northwestern China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, April.

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