Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India
Background. Exposure to lead (Pb) affects multiple health outcomes and physiological systems. In adults, even small increases in blood Pb levels have been associated with decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased risk of hypertension and increased incidence of essential tremor. To date, there...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pure Earth
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Health and Pollution |
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| _version_ | 1818550160215506944 |
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| author | Ravibabu Kalahasthi Tapu Barman |
| author_facet | Ravibabu Kalahasthi Tapu Barman |
| author_sort | Ravibabu Kalahasthi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Exposure to lead (Pb) affects multiple health outcomes and physiological systems. In adults, even small increases in blood Pb levels have been associated with decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased risk of hypertension and increased incidence of essential tremor. To date, there have been few Pb-exposure assessments using the United States Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) regulations.
Objective. The aim of the present study was to assess Pb-exposure in terms of elevated blood lead levels (BLL) and urinary-δ-aminolevulinic acid (U-δ-ALA) levels of workers exposed to Pb in the lead acid battery industry in Tamil Nadu, India based on Pb exposure regulations set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and OSHA.
Materials and Methods. BLLs and U-δ-ALA were estimated in 449 male workers exposed to Pb across ten different job categories in a lead acid battery factory. Worker BLLs were estimated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and U-δ-ALA was estimated using spectrophotometry.
Results. The Biological Exposure Index of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (BEI-ACGIH) were used to assess Pb exposure. BLLs <30 μg/dL were found in 63.5% of workers, and 36.5% of workers had BLLs>30 μg/dL. The present study also assessed Pb exposure using OSHA regulations and found that 83.3% of workers had BLLs <40 μg/dL and 16.7% of workers had BLLs>40 μg/dL. Among these workers, 0.7% of workers had BLLs >60 μg/dL. An excessive excretion of U-δ-ALA (20–40 mg/L) was noted in pasting area workers (2.6%) followed by executives (2.2%) and assembly workers (0.9%).
Conclusions. Workers in the job categories of pasting and assembly, as well as executives, are at high risk of Pb exposure compared to other job categories. We recommend placing humidifiers on the roof and keeping a water bath closer the to plate cutting area to reduce fugitive Pb dust emissions. We recommended workers with BLLs >60 μg/dL be removed from jobs involving Pb exposure and return to work only when their BLLs are <40 μg/dL.
Participant consent. Obtained
Ethics Approval. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern) Bengaluru, part of the National Institute of Occupational Health of India.
Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:42:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf527ed171ed4fb58ead1a1125dce215 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2156-9614 2156-9614 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:42:44Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Pure Earth |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Health and Pollution |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf527ed171ed4fb58ead1a1125dce2152022-12-22T00:30:43ZengPure EarthJournal of Health and Pollution2156-96142156-96142018-01-0181761310.5696/2156-9614-8.17.62156-9614-8-17-6Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, IndiaRavibabu Kalahasthi0Tapu Barman1Regional Occupational Health Centre, (Southern) Bengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaRegional Occupational Health Centre, (Southern) Bengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaBackground. Exposure to lead (Pb) affects multiple health outcomes and physiological systems. In adults, even small increases in blood Pb levels have been associated with decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased risk of hypertension and increased incidence of essential tremor. To date, there have been few Pb-exposure assessments using the United States Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) regulations. Objective. The aim of the present study was to assess Pb-exposure in terms of elevated blood lead levels (BLL) and urinary-δ-aminolevulinic acid (U-δ-ALA) levels of workers exposed to Pb in the lead acid battery industry in Tamil Nadu, India based on Pb exposure regulations set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and OSHA. Materials and Methods. BLLs and U-δ-ALA were estimated in 449 male workers exposed to Pb across ten different job categories in a lead acid battery factory. Worker BLLs were estimated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and U-δ-ALA was estimated using spectrophotometry. Results. The Biological Exposure Index of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (BEI-ACGIH) were used to assess Pb exposure. BLLs <30 μg/dL were found in 63.5% of workers, and 36.5% of workers had BLLs>30 μg/dL. The present study also assessed Pb exposure using OSHA regulations and found that 83.3% of workers had BLLs <40 μg/dL and 16.7% of workers had BLLs>40 μg/dL. Among these workers, 0.7% of workers had BLLs >60 μg/dL. An excessive excretion of U-δ-ALA (20–40 mg/L) was noted in pasting area workers (2.6%) followed by executives (2.2%) and assembly workers (0.9%). Conclusions. Workers in the job categories of pasting and assembly, as well as executives, are at high risk of Pb exposure compared to other job categories. We recommend placing humidifiers on the roof and keeping a water bath closer the to plate cutting area to reduce fugitive Pb dust emissions. We recommended workers with BLLs >60 μg/dL be removed from jobs involving Pb exposure and return to work only when their BLLs are <40 μg/dL. Participant consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern) Bengaluru, part of the National Institute of Occupational Health of India. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.blood lead levelslead battery plantBLLurinary-δ-aminolevulinic acid |
| spellingShingle | Ravibabu Kalahasthi Tapu Barman Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India Journal of Health and Pollution blood lead levels lead battery plant BLL urinary-δ-aminolevulinic acid |
| title | Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India |
| title_full | Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India |
| title_short | Assessment of Lead Exposure and Urinary-δ-aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Male Lead Acid Battery Workers in Tamil Nadu, India |
| title_sort | assessment of lead exposure and urinary δ aminolevulinic acid levels in male lead acid battery workers in tamil nadu india |
| topic | blood lead levels lead battery plant BLL urinary-δ-aminolevulinic acid |
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