Police in northwestern China have arrested six suspects after more than 200 children were found to have high levels of lead in their blood at a privately run kindergarten, authorities said.

政府表示，在中国西北部的一所私立幼儿园发现200多名儿童血液中铅含量过高后，警方逮捕了六名嫌疑人。

Seventeen officials have also been placed under disciplinary investigation, and 10 others, including senior health and education officials in Tianshui city and its Maiji district, Gansu province, face formal accountability procedures, according to a report released on Sunday.

周日发布的一份报告显示，17名官员也受到了纪律调查，另外10名官员，包括甘肃省天水市及其麦积区的高级卫生和教育官员，将面临正式的问责程序。

Investigators found the lead exposure came from food prepared at the Peixin Kindergarten, not from environmental contamination. Tests of air, water and soil in the area found no lead pollution.

调查人员发现，铅暴露来自培心幼儿园准备的食物，而不是环境污染。对该地区的空气、水和土壤进行检测，未发现铅污染。

The arrests come after eight people were initially held for questioning earlier this month while investigations were ongoing. Among those detained were cooks, management and an investor at the kindergarten.

本月早些时候，在调查进行期间，八人最初被拘留审问，随后被捕。被拘留者中包括幼儿园的厨师、管理层和一名投资者。

On Sunday, officials revealed in a report that six had been arrested on suspicion of producing toxic and harmful food.

周日，官员在一份报告中透露，六人因涉嫌生产有毒有害食品而被捕。

The case came to light on July 1, when market regulators and police in Maiji district received reports of abnormal blood lead levels among children at Peixin. All 251 children enrolled were examined, and 233 were found to have elevated lead levels. At least 201 children were hospitalized for treatment.

该案件于7月1日曝光，当时麦积区的市场监管机构和警方收到了培新儿童血铅水平异常的报告。所有251名注册儿童都接受了检查，发现233名儿童铅水平升高。至少有201名儿童住院治疗。

The incident has sparked widespread concern due to the harmful effects of long-term lead exposure on children. The World Health Organization lists lead among the top 10 toxic substances of public health concern.

由于长期接触铅对儿童的有害影响，这一事件引发了广泛关注。世界卫生组织将铅列为公共卫生关注的十大有毒物质之一。

A joint investigation team tested 232 samples, including raw materials, cooked food and water from Peixin. Authorities found that the kindergarten's management had instructed staff to add brightly colored but inedible industrial pigments to foods such as corn rolls and jujube cakes which is a kind of steamed buns, to make them look more appealing to children and parents.

一个联合调查小组测试了232个样本，包括来自培心的原材料、熟食和水。当局发现，幼儿园管理层已指示工作人员在玉米卷和红枣饼（一种馒头）等食物中添加颜色鲜艳但不可食用的工业颜料，使其看起来更吸引孩子和家长。

Two samples from Peixin—a tricolor red date sponge cake served at breakfast and a corn roll with sausage served at dinner—failed to meet food safety standards. The samples contained lead levels of 1,052 milligrams per kilogram and 1,340 milligrams per kilogram, respectively, far above the national limit of 0.5 milligram per kilogram.

培心的两个样品——早餐供应的三色红枣海绵蛋糕和晚餐供应的玉米卷配香肠——不符合食品安全标准。这些样本中的铅含量分别为每公斤1052毫克和1340毫克，远高于每公斤0.5毫克的国家限值。

Authorities said the kindergarten was operating without a license and that local education and market supervision departments failed to carry out oversight. Some officials are suspected of accepting bribes and favors from the kindergarten's investor. Disciplinary and criminal investigations have been launched against officials, including the head of the provincial health commission and the mayor of Tianshui.

当局表示，该幼儿园无证经营，当地教育和市场监管部门未能进行监督。一些官员涉嫌收受幼儿园投资者的贿赂和好处。对包括省卫生委员会主任和天水市市长在内的官员展开了纪律和刑事调查。

Health authorities said all affected children received treatment, with nearly all now discharged after their blood lead levels dropped by around 40 percent on average. The government is covering medical costs and has set up a monitoring program to track the children's recovery.

卫生部门表示，所有受影响的儿童都接受了治疗，在血铅水平平均下降约40%后，几乎所有儿童现在都出院了。政府正在支付医疗费用，并制定了一项监测计划来跟踪儿童的康复情况。

The Gansu provincial government issued a public apology, pledging "zero tolerance" for regulatory failures and promising to strengthen food safety and health oversight in schools across the province.

甘肃省政府发表公开道歉，承诺对监管失误“零容忍”，并承诺加强全省学校的食品安全和健康监督。

raw material

n.原材料

/rɔː məˈtɪərɪəl/

zero tolerance

n.零容忍

/ˈzɪərəʊ ˈtɒlərəns/