Biological assessment of the work-related exposure to lead

Abstract

Introduction: Lead, due to its large use, causes a major environmental pollution and health problems in many places around the world. The World Health Organization included lead in a list of ten chemical products causing severe effects in health.

Objective: To assess lead levels in blood and free-erythtocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) levels in groups of workers exposed to inorganic lead.

Methods: Descriptive. cross-sectional study where 776 cases coming from different industrial sectors were assessed in the laboratories of the National Institute of Workers Health in the year 2018. It was conducted to 288 of the cases a test to determine if there was lead in blood and a test for FEP to 488 cases, according to the methods established in the laboratory. The data collected were processed using Microsoft Excel® and the statistical program called Statgraphics Centurion XVI.II.

Results: 92% of the patients were males. Lead concentration in blood ranged from 5 µg/dL and 89 µg/dL, for an average in men of 24 µg/dL ± 21 µg/dL, and in women of 11 µg/dL ± µg/dL. FEP concentration swung from 21 µg/dL to 274 µg/dL, with an average of 47 µg/dL ± 22 µg/dL in men, and 66 µg/dL ± 32 µg/dL in women. 8% of the assessed cases presented values of lead in blood higher than 60 µg/dL and for FEP, 5% of the cases presented values higher than 85 µg/dL.

Conclusions: Some of the assessed cases presented high levels of lead which exceed the permitted levels; so, this demonstrates the need of reinforzing the protection measures applied to the workers and the importance of early detecting this problem in work-related environments prior to the onset of repercutions derived from lead poisoning.