Lessons learned from surface wipe sampling for lead in three workplaces

Abstract

Surface wipe sampling in the occupational environment is a technique widely used by industrial hygienists. Although several organizations have promulgated standards for sampling lead and other metals, uncertainty still exists when trying to determine an appropriate wipe sampling strategy and how to interpret sampling results. Investigators from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation Program have used surface wipe sampling as part of their exposure assessment sampling strategies in a wide range of workplaces. This article discusses wipe sampling for measuring lead on surfaces in three facilities: (1) a battery recycling facility; (2) a firing range and gun store; and (3) an electronic scrap recycling facility. We summarize our findings from the facilities and what we learned by integrating wipe sampling into our sampling plan. Wiping sampling demonstrated lead in non-production surfaces in all three workplaces and that the potential that employees were taking lead home to their families existed. We also found that the presence of metals such as tin can interfere with the colorimetric results. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of colorimetric analysis of surface wipe samples and the challenges we faced when interpreting wipe sampling results.

A Low-Cost Method Shows Potentially Toxic Element Levels in Dust Correlated with Elevated Blood Levels of These Chemicals in Children Exposed to an Informal Home-Based Production Environment

“…However, accessing home-based welders is difficult because most live in areas of high social vulnerability, change work constantly, and principally, the production of informal jewelry is not regulated by law and, therefore, most workers do not want to be exposed to authorities. Last, some studies have used different kinds of cloths to analyze metal exposure by cleaning surfaces [ 26 , 37 ], but Swiffer cloths were used in the present study as they are both accessible and low-cost and have proven effective for the proposed application.…”

A County-Level Program for the Evaluation of the Potential for Take-Home Lead Exposures Among Children in Michigan

“…13,14 Wipe sampling for lead dust suggests exposures may occur even in nonproduction areas of workplaces, as well as in firing ranges and gun stores. 15…”

“…13,14 Wipe sampling for lead dust suggests exposures may occur even in nonproduction areas of workplaces, as well as in firing ranges and gun stores. 15 The Michigan Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program found a higher prevalence of blood lead levels ≥10 µg/dL among children of leadexposed workers in Michigan than among all children screened in the state. 16 During 1997-2016, only one-third of children aged ≤6 years whose parent had a blood lead level 1061327P HRXXX10.…”

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“…Last, some studies have used different kinds of cloths to analyze metal exposure by cleaning surfaces [26,37], but Swiffer cloths were used in the present study as they are both accessible and low-cost and have proven effective for the proposed application.…”