THE ESSENTIAL
- Currently, the use of leaded gasoline by aircraft accounts for up to two-thirds of lead emissions in the United States.
- Leaded gasoline is said to affect human brain development, especially in children, and contribute to lower IQ.
Cancers, strokes, contamination of the air and drinking water… Leaded gasoline is harmful to the planet and the health of human beings. Yet this fuel is still used in the United States, despite efforts by politicians to reduce lead exposure since the 1970s. According to researchers at Colorado State University, leaded gasoline is “consumed by more than 170,000 piston-engined aircraft nationwide”.
600 schools near airports serving piston engine aircraft
“The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that four million people reside within 500 meters of an airport serving piston-engined aircraft. About 600 elementary or middle schools are located near such facilities. Clearly, exhaust emissions around these airports may be a source of lead exposure for children.” the scientists said.
To find out for sure, the team carried out a study published in the journal PNAS Nexus. As part of this work, she analyzed the blood lead levels of children under the age of six, over a 10-year period (from 2011 to 2020), who lived near Reid-Hillview airport in the Santa Clara County, California.
Gasoline: higher lead levels in children living downwind
According to the results, the blood lead levels of the young participants increased when they were near the airport. Additionally, blood lead levels were higher in children living in the east (downwind). Another observation: the levels of lead in the blood of toddlers increased according to the traffic of piston-engined aircraft and the quantities of leaded gasoline sold at the airport.
“Across this set of tests, we find consistent evidence that the blood lead levels of children residing near the airport are elevated due to leaded gasoline deposition. This indicates that we should support policy efforts aimed at limiting lead emissions in order to preserve the well-being of children at risk”, said Sammy Zahran, lead author of the research, in a statement.