Effects of direct exposure to lead on some haematological parameters among battery repair workers in Mosul

Abstract

Objectives:Determination of the degree of lead exposure and to study the possible effects of lead on different haematological parameters. Methods:A haematological study of thirty battery repair workers and thirty-four blood donors (as a control) in the period of 2 months (January -February 1998). All the workers and the donors were subjected to a clinical and laboratory evaluation. The laboratory tests included complete blood picture, blood lead level determination and iron status study.Results: Analysis of lead in the blood showed that the mean blood lead level (BLL) of these workers was significantly higher than that of the control (P< 0.001). 20% of the battery repairers had symptoms, while 16.7% of them had normochromic normocytic anaemia and 23.3% had reticulocytosis. Iron status was normal in all of the repairers but it was found that transferrin saturation of the repairers with BLL of more than 70 µg/dl RBC was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than those repairers with BLL of or less than 70 µg/dl RBC. Conclusion:Battery repairing is an important new source of lead exposure in our community and periodic medical supervision is required as well as improvement of their working conditions.

Association between Lead Exposure and Haematological Parameters among Roadside and Organized Panel Beaters in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria

“…The normal mean values of parameters were supported by the majority of workers, >70% in both sectors with HP within the normal reference values. These findings confirmed studies in Nigeria, Jordan, Iraq, and Taiwan with similar Pb levels within an acceptable range (5,13,26,27). However, they differed from studies among children done in Egypt and Iran, where a higher proportion of children were found to have higher mean and abnormal values of HP with BPb within normal values and acceptable range (19,20,28).…”