Indirect lead exposure among children of radiator repair workers

Aguilar-Garduño, Clemente; Lacasaña, Marina; Téllez‐Rojo, Martha María; Aguilar-Madrid, Guadalupe; Sanín-Aguirre, Luz Helena; Romieu, Isabelle; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

doi:10.1002/ajim.10204

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The National Program of Agricultural Day Laborers (Programa Nacional de Jornaleros Agrícolas) estimates that Mexico has 500,000 child farm workers are at increased risk for pesticide exposure [6,27,28]. Take-home exposures among children whose parents use lead occupationally remains a major concern [29]. Undernutrition remains highly prevalent among preschool children, with caloric deficiency as common as 30% nationally [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative analysis of environmental policy and children's health in Mexico

et al. 2010

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BackgroundSince Mexico's joining the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1994, it has witnessed rapid industrialization. A byproduct of this industrialization is increasing population exposure to environmental pollutants, of which some have been associated with childhood disease. We therefore identified and assessed the adequacy of existing international and Mexican governance instruments and policy tools to protect children from environmental hazards.MethodsWe first systematically reviewed PubMed, the Mexican legal code and the websites of the United Nations, World Health Organization, NAFTA and OECD as of July 2007 to identify the relevant governance instruments, and analyzed the approach these instruments took to preventing childhood diseases of environmental origin. Secondly, we interviewed a purposive sample of high-level government officials, researchers and non-governmental organization representatives, to identify their opinions and attitudes towards children's environmental health and potential barriers to child-specific protective legislation and implementation.ResultsWe identified only one policy tool describing specific measures to reduce developmental neurotoxicity and other children's health effects from lead. Other governance instruments mention children's unique vulnerability to ozone, particulate matter and carbon monoxide, but do not provide further details. Most interviewees were aware of Mexican environmental policy tools addressing children's health needs, but agreed that, with few exceptions, environmental policies do not address the specific health needs of children and pregnant women. Interviewees also cited state centralization of power, communication barriers and political resistance as reasons for the absence of a strong regulatory platform.ConclusionsThe Mexican government has not sufficiently accounted for children's unique vulnerability to environmental contaminants. If regulation and legislation are not updated and implemented to protect children, increases in preventable exposures to toxic chemicals in the environment may ensue.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative analysis of environmental policy and children's health in Mexico

et al. 2010

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“…The acute effects of paternal exposure during the ARP may be due to mutations in the germinal cells and the contamination of the seminal fluid by organic solvents, which could expose the mother after sexual intercourse during the period of organogenesis. It may also occur by indirect or paraoccupational contamination, when these products are taken home from work or when the exposure occurs in home-based workshops, the so called “cottage industry” 3 29 30…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental occupational exposure to organic solvents and anencephaly in Mexico

et al. 2009

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“…The level of environmental exposure to lead, as a result of growing industrialization, has increased greatly after the Industrial Revolution and its resulting toxic effects have become an important public health issue. 1,2 Lead is extensively used in paints, ceramics, gasoline and cosmetics making it very widespread in the environment, 3 being found in the air, dust, garbage, soil, water and foodstuffs and can be absorbed by inhalation or feeding. 1,4 In Latin America and the Caribbean, even though the rapid industrialization has increased the rate of lead exposure, legislation and control measures are insufficiently implemented, often being incomplete and obsolete.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1,2 Lead is extensively used in paints, ceramics, gasoline and cosmetics making it very widespread in the environment, 3 being found in the air, dust, garbage, soil, water and foodstuffs and can be absorbed by inhalation or feeding. 1,4 In Latin America and the Caribbean, even though the rapid industrialization has increased the rate of lead exposure, legislation and control measures are insufficiently implemented, often being incomplete and obsolete. 5,6 Lead toxicity brings about physiological, biochemical and structural changes, mainly in the neurological system, blood, bones and kidneys.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of calcium excretion in Brazilian infantile and young population environmentally exposed to lead

et al. 2009

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Lead exposure is an important issue in the research of several toxic effects resulting from the biochemical interaction between this metal and the organism. Calcium is a fundamental mineral for the maintenance of the organism homeostasis where there is interaction between lead and calcium in metabolic pathways. Environmental lead exposure by verifying the usefulness and applicability of urinary calcium/creatinine ratio (UCa/Cr) in this context was evaluated. This was an extensive socio-demographic study of the nutritional profile, lead exposure biomarkers in blood and the urine and UCa/Cr ratio. The children studied were from a low socio-economic group characterized by unsatisfactory nutritional diet. Lead environmental exposure was shown by biomarkers, with UCa/Cr ratio having positive and significant correlations with both lead and δ-aminolevulinic acid in urine (ALA-U), without colinearity diagnosis. There was a strong association between calcium excretion and lead exposure as a result of linear regression construction models. In children, lead increases calcium excretion which is an additional risk to infantile health. Urinary calcium/creatinine ratio may be a useful tool in the biological monitoring of lead exposure and health promotion programs.

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Indirect lead exposure among children of radiator repair workers

Abstract: This study confirms that children of radiator repair workers are at increased risk of lead exposure and public health interventions are needed to protect them.

Cited by 12 publications

References 19 publications

A qualitative analysis of environmental policy and children's health in Mexico

A qualitative analysis of environmental policy and children's health in Mexico

Parental occupational exposure to organic solvents and anencephaly in Mexico

Evaluation of calcium excretion in Brazilian infantile and young population environmentally exposed to lead

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