Measures need to be taken to lessen exposure to environmental lead where environmental air levels remain high after Australian researchers found it leads children to higher levels of aggressive criminal behaviour in early adulthood.

Published in the journal Environmental Health on Wednesday, it's the first Australian study to test the hypothesis that lead is associated with aggressive criminal behaviours, as the metal is known to increase impulsive behaviours, and crimes of aggression are typically related to impulsive actions.

The researchers compared air lead exposure levels during childhood to assault statistics 15 to 24 years later in six New South Wales state suburbs, adjusting for socio-demographic factors that affect criminal behaviour, and found lead accounted for 29.8 percent of the variance in assault rates 21 years later.

At the state level, the results were echoed in New South Wales and Victoria - Australia's two most populous states - with variance rates of death by assault at 34.6 percent and 32.6 percent 18 years after exposure, respectively.

"While the correlation is weaker at state and national levels, there is still an observable correlation in the rate of assault," lead author and Professor of Environmental Science from Macquarie University, Mark Taylor, said in a statement.

"Overall, the data shows that at the more detailed suburb level, these relationships are very strong and are highly consistent even across different lead sources, social and demographic communities, and also timeframes."

Historically in Australia, there were three sources of lead: lead paint, lead petrol and mining and smelting emissions, however the study found the link existed regardless of source.

Taylor said the study did not prove that lead exposure caused aggressive behaviour, but more specific information could be obtained by examining blood lead levels of individuals and undertaking a prospective study of their long-term behaviours.

"(Nevertheless), the results indicate that measures need to be taken to lessen exposure to lead in areas where environmental air levels remain high, so as to avoid any long-term neurodevelopmental consequences," Taylor said. Endit

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