ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effects of environmental exposure to rare earth elements REEs on intelligence of children. Methods Intelligence quotient IQ were examined with Drawing a Man Test in 464 children aged 7-10 years living in RE ore containing area and the control area in Xunwu country Jiangxi province China. Fifteen kinds of REEs in 112 blood samples 69 samples from RE ore area and 43 samples from the control area were detected by inductively coupled plasma source mass spectrometry ICP-MS. Results All 15 kinds of REEs were detected in each sample the content of blood REEs of the children in the rare earth area 2.18?1.08 ng/g was 1.73 times of that of the children in the control area 1.26?0.35 ng/g the difference was significant P