Lead Poisoning among Household Members Exposed to Lead-Acid Battery Repair Shops in Kingston, Jamaica

Abstract

To investigate the risk of lead poisoning among household members exposed to 'backyard' battery repair shops (BBRS) in Kingston, Jamaica, environmental and blood lead (PbB) were measured at 24 households (112 individuals) with a BBRS worker or located at a BBRS premises and at 18 neighbourhood control households (74 individuals). Elevated PbB (greater than or equal to 25 micrograms per decilitre [micrograms/dl]) was common among subjects of all ages living at BBRS premises, especially among children less than age 12, 43% of whom had PbB greater than 70 micrograms/dl. Potentially hazardous soil and house dust lead levels were also common at BBRS premises, where 84% of yards had soil lead levels above 500 parts per million (geometric mean 3388 parts per million [ppm] at BBRS premises households with a BBRS worker). Geometric mean blood and environmental lead levels were significantly lower at control households, where less than 10% of subjects in all age groups had elevated PbB (maximum 33 micrograms/dl). Sharing a premises with a BBRS was a stronger determinant of household blood lead and environmental contamination than was the presence of a BBRS worker in a household. Blood lead levels were associated with soil and house dust lead levels in all age groups. We conclude that small battery repair shops, which have also been described in other developing countries, create a high lead poisoning risk for nearby residents.

Uso da poeira e do ar como indicadores de contaminação ambiental em áreas circunvizinhas a uma fonte de emissão estacionária de chumbo

“…O valor limite de Pb-Pd encontrado na literatura é de 1.500µg.m -2 , de acordo com Charnev (Matte et al, 1989). Este nível está associado ao valor de 15µg.dl -1 de chumbo no sangue, encontrado em crianças urbanas expostas à poeira doméstica contendo chumbo (McConnell et al, 1995).…”

“…Conforme os resultados apresentados na Tabela 2, verifica-se que, das amostras coletadas no interior das residências, somente 6% excederam o limite adotado de 1.500µg.m -2 , Matte et al (1989) no raio de até 25m. No exterior das residências, cerca de 50% das amostras, tanto a 25m como a 50m da RB, excederam este limite.…”

“…Enquanto que em países desenvolvidos este risco ocupacional tem sido estudado e regulado, pouco se conhece sobre este tipo de exposição nos países em desenvolvimento. A produção destas baterias pode ser realizada em operações de pequena escala, utilizando tecnologia relativamente simples, tornando-se atraente para economias em desenvolvimento (Matte et al, 1989;Research Triangle Institute,1999).…”

Follow-up screening of lead-poisoned children near an auto battery recycling plant, Haina, Dominican Republic.

“…We understand that some site cleanup activity has begun. Heavy soil contamination with lead near battery repair shops is a major source of lead poisoning of children in the Carribbean and in other developing countries (33). The relationships between soil lead and BPb concentrations resulting from past mining and ore processing (milling) activities and from operating smelters have been compared (34).…”

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-084-2219, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, Kansas City, Kansas.

“…Recently, case studies have surfaced in the literature documenting exposure to family members and the hazards posed to young children from lead carried home by working parents. (27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41) While studies have not directly documented increased lead burden in the homes of firing range users, there is no reason to rule out this possibility.…”