Study protocol to examine the relationship between environmental exposure to lead and blood lead levels among children from day-care centres in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

Cindi, Mbalenhle Desiree; Mbonane, Thokozani P.; Naicker, Nisha

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036687

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…While the example CSMs presented here are specific to these activities, the framework and process is generalizable to any activity of interest (e.g., e-waste) and provides a structured approach for data collection and sampling starting with problem formulation to establish the conceptual and spatial boundaries of the analysis (i.e., zone of contaminant influence). This approach is consistent with the movement towards “fit for purpose” risk evaluations that emphasize the upfront problem formulation step in the environmental health sciences [ 60 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

A Systematic Framework for Collecting Site-Specific Sampling and Survey Data to Support Analyses of Health Impacts from Land-Based Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Stackelberg¹,

Williams²,

Sánchez-Triana

2021

IJERPH

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The rise of small-scale and localized economic activities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has led to increased exposures to contaminants associated with these processes and the potential for resulting adverse health effects in exposed communities. Risk assessment is the process of building models to predict the probability of adverse outcomes based on concentration-response functions and exposure scenarios for individual contaminants, while epidemiology uses statistical methods to explore associations between potential exposures and observed health outcomes. Neither approach by itself is practical or sufficient for evaluating the magnitude of exposures and health impacts associated with land-based pollution in LMICs. Here we propose a more pragmatic framework for designing representative studies, including uniform sampling guidelines and household surveys, that draws from both methodologies to better support community health impact analyses associated with land-based pollution sources in LMICs. Our primary goal is to explicitly link environmental contamination from land-based pollution associated with specific localized economic activities to community exposures and health outcomes at the household level. The proposed framework was applied to the following three types of industries that are now widespread in many LMICs: artisanal scale gold mining (ASGM), used lead-acid battery recycling (ULAB), and small tanning facilities. For each activity, we develop a generalized conceptual site model (CSM) that describes qualitative linkages from chemical releases or discharges, environmental fate and transport mechanisms, exposure pathways and routes, populations at risk, and health outcomes. This upfront information, which is often overlooked, is essential for delineating the contaminant zone of influence in a community and identifying relevant households for study. We also recommend cost-effective methods for use in LMICs related to environmental sampling, biological monitoring, survey questionnaires, and health outcome measurements at contaminated and unexposed reference sites. Future study designs based on this framework will facilitate consistent, comparable, and standardized community exposure, risk, and health impact assessments for land-based pollution in LMICs. The results of these studies can also support economic burden analyses and risk management decision-making around site cleanup, risk mitigation, and public health education.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

A Systematic Framework for Collecting Site-Specific Sampling and Survey Data to Support Analyses of Health Impacts from Land-Based Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Stackelberg¹,

Williams²,

Sánchez-Triana

2021

IJERPH

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show abstract

“…Lead Care® II Blood samples were processed using the portable anodic extraction voltammetry analyzer, LeadCare® II (LC; ESA Biosciences, Inc., MA, USA) following the manufacturer's instructions (CLIAwaived.com) (Stanton and Fritsch 2007;Ortiz-Ortiz et al 2017;Cindi et al 2020). The LC detection range is 3.3 to 65 μg/dL.…”

Section: Determination Of Pb In Biological Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lead exposure in consumers of culled invasive alien mammals in El Palmar National Park, Argentina

Tammone

Caselli

Condorí

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Consumption of meat from animals hunted with Pb ammunition can cause toxic accumulation with consequent health risks, even if relatively small amounts are consumed in each exposure. In El Palmar National Park, Argentina, invasive alien mammals, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and axis deer (Axis axis), are culled with Pb ammunition and their meat is consumed. In this study, we evaluated blood Pb concentrations in 58 consumers of culled game and examined Pb exposure risk according to their demographics, duty, and consumption habits. Likewise, the likelihood of exposure was evaluated by quantifying Pb concentrations in meat samples of seven culled axis deer. Twenty-seven participants (46%) had detectable blood Pb levels (limit of detection = 3.3 μg/dL), with an average 4.75 ± 1.35 μg/dL (geometric mean ± geometric S.D.); the average for all participants was 3.25 ± 1.51 μg/dL. Blood Pb concentrations were significantly higher in hunters, in participants who reported consuming game meat more than 5 times per week, and in participants who reported frequently consuming cured game meat (compared to cooked or pickled). Pb concentration varied significantly along the trajectory of the bullet in deer muscle, being highest at mid-point but with detectable Pb levels even in distant tissue samples (control), suggesting potential for dietary intake by consumers. These findings provide evidence of Pb exposure risk in consumers and emphasize the relevance of replacing Pb ammunition with non-toxic alternatives. This change would reduce dietary exposure in frequent consumers and allow the use of game meat as safe food for people whilst eliminating collateral risks to wild animals and the environment.

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Nuclear accumulation of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) by PP1-mediated dephosphorylation exerts neurotoxicity in Pb-exposed neural cells

Huang

et al. 2020

NeuroToxicology

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Study protocol to examine the relationship between environmental exposure to lead and blood lead levels among children from day-care centres in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

A Systematic Framework for Collecting Site-Specific Sampling and Survey Data to Support Analyses of Health Impacts from Land-Based Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

A Systematic Framework for Collecting Site-Specific Sampling and Survey Data to Support Analyses of Health Impacts from Land-Based Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Lead exposure in consumers of culled invasive alien mammals in El Palmar National Park, Argentina

Nuclear accumulation of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) by PP1-mediated dephosphorylation exerts neurotoxicity in Pb-exposed neural cells

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