title: Use of a Field Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer for Environmental Exposure Assessment of a Neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt Adjacent to the Site of a Former Secondary Lead Smelter.
abstract: The objectives of this study are to demonstrate for the first time the use of a field portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer (XRF) in a multi-media environmental survey and to use the survey results to determine if residual lead from a once-active secondary lead smelter in Cairo, Egypt, still posed a health risk to the residents when comparing results with US EPA standards. Results were analyzed to determine if relationships among the variables indicated that there were residual impacts of the former smelter. Samples collected inside and near a total of 194 dwellings were analyzed. The mean floor dust lead loading was 7.48 μg lead/ft(2). Almost 10% of the dwellings had at least one floor dust wipe sample that exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) interior settled dust lead level of 40 μg lead/ft(2). The median paint lead level was 0.04 mg lead/cm(2). 17% of the dwellings had at least one interior paint sample that exceeded the USEPA standard of 1.0 mg lead/cm(2). Mean soil lead concentration in the study area was 458 ppm and 91 ppm outside the study area. Four of nine composite soil samples exceeded the US EPA limit for bare soil in play areas. Lead concentrations in samples collected in locations outside the study area did not exceed the limit. The highest concentration was in the plot closest to the smelter and may represent residual impact from the former smelter. Statistically significant relationships were not detected between interior floor dust lead loading and either interior paint lead loading or exterior dust lead concentration. Thus, no significant exposure from the former smelter was indicated by these analyses. This may have resulted from the time elapsed since the closing of the smelter and/or the relatively low paint lead levels. Further study is needed in other areas of Egypt near former and active lead smelters. Elevated levels of mercury and arsenic detected in soil samples do not appear to be related to the smelter but warrant further study.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , Ohio.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Menrath
authors.forename: Yehia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Safty
authors.forename: C Scott
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Sandy M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Roda
authors.forename: Essam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elsayed
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004534:Egypt; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006798:Housing; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D008669:Metallurgy; D010150:Paint / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead
keywords: Dust Lead; Egypt; Field Portable XRF; Lead Smelter; Paint Lead; Soil Lead; XRF Analysis of Dust Wipes