A 3-year-old boy presents with developmental delay and microcytic anaemia. His family lives in an old house with lead-soldered plumbing. As per BIS 10500, the acceptable limit of lead in drinking water is:

• A 0.05 mg/L
• B 1.0 mg/L
• C 0.5 mg/L
• D 0.01 mg/L ✓

Explanation

BIS 10500 and WHO both set the guideline value for lead at 0.01 mg/L (10 microgram/L). Lead leaches from lead service pipes, soldered joints and brass fittings, especially in soft acidic water standing overnight in pipes. Children absorb 30 to 50 percent of ingested lead compared with about 10 percent in adults, making them the classic victims of plumbism presenting with anaemia and neurodevelopmental deficits.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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