Blood Lead Levels and Hand Lead Contamination in Children Ages 4-6 In Copsa Mica, Romania

Background. Tema, Ghana's main industrial city, has many areas that are suspected to be contaminated by lead. Elevated lead levels can affect, among many other issues, mental development, kidney function and blood chemistry. Children are particularly at risk. Objectives. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of lead in soil from selected sites in Tema and how these levels relate to local pediatric blood lead predictions. Methods. A total of 47 surface soil samples were taken from 9 different sites. Energy dispersive X-ray technique was employed to determine the levels of lead. Pediatric blood lead levels were estimated using the Integrated Exposure Uptake Bio-Kinetic Model For Lead in Children, developed by the U.S. EPA. Results. The study revealed that the selected sites are highly contaminated by lead. In particular, the concentration of Pb in soil at a used lead acid battery recycling facility exceeded regulatory limits for industrial soil as set by the U.S. EPA. The model for predicting concentrations of lead in the blood of age-specific children showed extremely high probabilities of BLLs exceeding regulatory limits. Conclusions. Based on the results of soil testing, sites that were expected to reveal lead exposure positively demonstrated high levels of contamination, in some areas exceeding U.S. and other national regulatory limits. This information is expected to help authorities make informed clean-up decisions.

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Childhood Blood Lead Reductions Following Removal of Leaded Ceramic Glazes in Artisanal Pottery Production: A Success Story

Journal of Health and Pollution ◽

10.5696/2156-9614-3.4.23 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 23-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Donald E. Jones ◽

Mario Covarrubias Pérez ◽

Bret Ericson ◽

Daniel Estrada Sánchez ◽

Sandra Gualtero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lead Poisoning ◽

Environmental Remediation ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Lead Contamination ◽

Blood Lead Levels ◽

Pottery Production ◽

Environmental Interventions ◽

Childhood Lead Poisoning ◽

Lead Levels ◽

Lead Glaze

Background. Lead exposure within artisanal ceramics workshop communities in Mexico continues to be a major source of childhood lead poisoning. Artisanal ceramics workshops expose children through direct ingestion, contaminated soil, and food prepared in lead-glazed pottery. Conversion to non-lead glazes alone may not effectively reduce exposure. This paper describes a model comprehensive intervention and environmental remediation of an artisanal ceramics workshop in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Objectives. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental interventions—including removal of lead-contaminated equipment, soil and pottery—on childhood blood lead levels. Methods. A typical artisanal workshop using lead glaze was identified and assessed for lead contamination. Baseline blood lead levels (BLL) were taken from 5 children inhabiting the workshop prior to remediation. Follow-up paired BLL were taken 3- and 12-months post-remediation and results compared. Results. A mean 54% decrease in BLL within 3 months of remediation and a 57% decrease within 1 year was observed. Conclusions. This project shows the effectiveness of environmental lead remediation at artisanal Mexican ceramics workshops for purposes of sustained BLL reductions. Application of the methods presented in this paper to other ceramics workshops using lead glaze in central Mexico will likely help to further reduce childhood lead poisoning.

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