Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana
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...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pure Earth
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Health and Pollution |
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| _version_ | 1829134726183518208 |
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| author | Innocent Joy Kwame Aboh, PhD Manukure Atiemo Sampson, MPhil Leticia Abra-Kom Nyaab, MPhil, NEP Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH Francis Gorman Ofosu, PhD Harriet Kuranchie-Mensah, MPhil |
| author_facet | Innocent Joy Kwame Aboh, PhD Manukure Atiemo Sampson, MPhil Leticia Abra-Kom Nyaab, MPhil, NEP Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH Francis Gorman Ofosu, PhD Harriet Kuranchie-Mensah, MPhil |
| author_sort | Innocent Joy Kwame Aboh, PhD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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.
Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:09:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1463a5292774bdb85389705bc77c4ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2156-9614 2156-9614 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:09:47Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Pure Earth |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Health and Pollution |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1463a5292774bdb85389705bc77c4ae2022-12-21T22:52:18ZengPure EarthJournal of Health and Pollution2156-96142156-96142013-01-0171210.5696/2156-9614-3-5.72156-9614-3-5.7Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, GhanaInnocent Joy Kwame Aboh, PhD0Manukure Atiemo Sampson, MPhil1Leticia Abra-Kom Nyaab, MPhil, NEP2Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH3Francis Gorman Ofosu, PhD4Harriet Kuranchie-Mensah, MPhil5Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon, GhanaGhana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon, GhanaGhana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon, GhanaCUNY School of Public Health, Hunter College, New York, NY, U.S.A.Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon, GhanaGhana Atomic Energy Commission, Legon, GhanaBackground. 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. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.GhanaAccraTemaDutch listpediatric blood lead levelslead contaminationBLL |
| spellingShingle | Innocent Joy Kwame Aboh, PhD Manukure Atiemo Sampson, MPhil Leticia Abra-Kom Nyaab, MPhil, NEP Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH Francis Gorman Ofosu, PhD Harriet Kuranchie-Mensah, MPhil Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana Journal of Health and Pollution Ghana Accra Tema Dutch list pediatric blood lead levels lead contamination BLL |
| title | Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana |
| title_full | Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana |
| title_short | Assessing Levels of Lead Contamination in Soil and Predicting Pediatric Blood Lead Levels in Tema, Ghana |
| title_sort | assessing levels of lead contamination in soil and predicting pediatric blood lead levels in tema ghana |
| topic | Ghana Accra Tema Dutch list pediatric blood lead levels lead contamination BLL |
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