Lead in human blood and in the environment near a battery factory

Abstract

SUMMARY Samples of blood, air, dust, soil, vegetation, and tap water were examined between 1973 and 1975 to determine whether a large battery factory (with a smelter) was contributing to lead in the environment and to lead absorption by the local population. Mean blood lead levels in the children of lead workers were about 6 pg/100 ml higher (P <0.001) than in otherwise comparable children. Capillary blood samples in wives of lead workers were 1.7 ,tg/100 ml higher (P <0.05) than those of otherwise comparable wives, but venous blood samples from the same subjects showed no significant difference. Lead in dust, soil and vegetation, although variable, decreased in concentration with distance from the factory. This relationship with distance from the factory was not however found in blood lead levels. No consistent effect of distance was found with lead in air, but significantly higher concentrations were recorded at downwind than upwind sites. The blood lead results have been analysed to assess the influence of domestic factors of possible relevance-such as, lead pipes, car ownership, age of house, etc. The presence of a leadworker in the household appears to outweigh these other factors. The findings are consistent with the work of Burrows (1976) who showed that lead workers take lead home. An interlaboratory comparison on lead in blood was carried out. The two laboratories concerned were found to be equally consistent, but there were differences between them and the design of this comparison did not make it possible to say that the results of either were 'absolute' values.

Monitoring of lead in the environment.

“…The mean for community children was 0-88 pmol/l with a standard deviation of 0'26, and the mean for employees' children was 1 *02 imol/l with a standard deviation of 0 30. This difference is statistically significant, being over three times its standard error (Table 3c) and it is similar to the difference found in Manchester (Elwood et al, 1977). The distribution of these results, represented by the Figure, compares favourably with the biological quality guide for standards in the European Economic Community (Zielhuis, 1974).…”

“…(Chloride Group Ltd press release, 1975). In Manchester the equivalent readings were 1 * 32, 1 * 29, and 1 -6 jmol/l respectively (Elwood et al, 1977). In Tower Hamlets a survey in 1971 showed that 41 % of 39 preschoolchildren living within 400 metres of a lead works had blood lead levels exceeding the equivalent of 1 94 .imol/l, as against 13'7% of 80 preschoolchildren living in the 400-500 metre range.…”

Lead contamination in smelting and mining environments and variations in chemical forms and bioavailability

“…Capillary blood is usually obtained by a 'finger-prick' technique which can lead to contamination of the blood sample via deposits on the skin. In a study of a battery factory area, Elwood et al ( 1977) conclude that the mean blood lead concentrations reported would have been lower had venous, rather than capillary, samples been used for all of the study subjects. Teeth and hair have also been analysed for Pb content (Needleman et al, 1990;Ewers et al, 1982).…”

Transmission of occupational disease to family contacts

“…Increased lead absorption has been documented in families of workers at lead mines [Martin et al, 19841, smelters [Baker et al, 1977;Rice et al, 1978;Lead poisoning-Tennessee, 1976;Winegar et al, 1977;Dolcourt et al, 19811, and storage battery factories [Dolcourt et al, 1981; Increased lead absorption in children of lead workers-Vermont, 1977;Dolcourt et al, 1978; Lead poisoning in children of battery plant employees-North Carolina, 1977;Elwood et al, 1977;Watson et al, 19781. One of the first reports involved an outbreak of symptomatic lead poisoning among children of workers at a secondary lead smelter in 1975.…”