title: Air and blood lead levels in lead acid battery recycling and manufacturing plants in Kenya.
abstract: The concentration of airborne and blood lead (Pb) was assessed in a Pb acid battery recycling plant and in a Pb acid battery manufacturing plant in Kenya. In the recycling plant, full-shift area samples taken across 5 days in several production sections showed a mean value ± standard deviation (SD) of 427 ± 124 μg/m(3), while area samples in the office area had a mean ± SD of 59.2 ± 22.7 μg/m(3). In the battery manufacturing plant, full-shift area samples taken across 5 days in several production areas showed a mean value ± SD of 349 ± 107 μg/m(3), while area samples in the office area had a mean ± SD of 55.2 ± 33.2 μg/m(3). All these mean values exceed the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's permissible exposure limit of 50 μg/m(3) as an 8-hr time-weighted average. In the battery recycling plant, production workers had a mean blood Pb level ± SD of 62.2 ± 12.7 μg/dL, and office workers had a mean blood Pb level ± SD of 43.4 ± 6.6 μg/dL. In the battery manufacturing plant, production workers had a mean blood Pb level ± SD of 59.5 ± 10.1 μg/dL, and office workers had a mean blood Pb level ± SD of 41.6 ± 7.4 μg/dL. All the measured blood Pb levels exceeded 30 μg/dL, which is the maximum blood Pb level recommended by the ACGIH(®). Observations made in these facilities revealed numerous sources of Pb exposure due to inadequacies in engineering controls, work practices, respirator use, and personal hygiene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya. faridares@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Faridah H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Were
authors.forename: Geoffrey N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Kamau
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Shiundu
authors.forename: Godfrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wafula
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Moturi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D003906:Developing Countries; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D059027:Recycling; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007854:Lead