Occupational and environmental lead poisoning: case study of a battery recycling smelter in Taiwan.
The rapid industrialization in Taiwan has caused both prosperity and environmental pollution. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a case of both occupational and environmental lead poisoning. A patient of lead poisoning initiated a survey of the battery recycling factory, which revealed that 31 of 64 workers suffered from lead poisoning. Children who attended a nearby kindergarten showed a significant increase of blood lead up to 15-25 micrograms/dl and a mild but significant decrease of IQ (intelligent quotient, by Binet-Simon scale) if compared with children of a nonexposed but socioeconomically comparable kindergarten. Outdoor workers of the nearby forging factory also showed a significant increase of blood lead if compared with indoor workers or workers of another nonexposed forging factory 20 Km away. Air sampling showed an average of more than 10 micrograms/m3 in the kindergarten. Soil sampling and analysis also revealed 400 folds increase of lead content, which decreased if the sample was taken deep down to 15-30 cm or 350 meters away from the battery recycling smelter. Moreover, after children were moved away from the pollution source, follow-up examination performed 2.5 years later showed a significant decrease of blood lead and partial recovery of IQ among them.
Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University, College of Public Health, Taipei.
J D
JD
Wang
W T
WT
Soong
K Y
KY
Chao
Y H
YH
Hwang
C S
CS
Jang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D007854:Lead