BEIJING: More than 300 children in northern China have been diagnosed with lead poisoning suspected of being linked to a smelting factory near their homes, state press reported Monday.

The children, all living alongside the Changqing industrial park in Fengxiang county, Shaanxi province, were found to have as much as twice the safe level of lead in their blood, the local newspaper said.

They sleep more than before, cannot concentrate and react very slowly, the report said, citing local residents.

Normal lead content in the blood is below 100 milligrams per liter, and above 200 milligrams is considered hazardous, but the lead in some of the youngsters' blood was more than 250 milligrams per liter, it said.LINK