Tanveer Ahmad, Asim Mumtaz, Dilshad Ahmad, Nadia Rashid.
Lead exposure in children living around the automobile and battery repair workshops.
Biomedica Jan ;25(2):128-32.

The aim of this study was to screen children 1-12 years of age for lead exposure living around automobile and battery repair workshops. A total of 190 children living in one kilometer areas around the automobile and battery repair workshops were selected from houses and schools. These were divided into two groups: group A comprised of the children living around the automobile repair workshops and group B comprised of the children living around the battery repair workshops. Among the 190 children, 115 (60.5%) were males and 75 (39.5%) were females. The mean age of the children was 8.7 years. Majority of the children was less than 4 years of age (55.8%). The blood lead levels were between the range of 1.3 - 34.2 mg/dl (mean 11.4 mg/dl). Children living around the battery repair workshops (mean ± SD 12.85 ± 6.02) had high blood lead levels (p 0.020) as compared to the children living around the automobile repair workshops (mean ± SD 10.19 ± 6.13). There was a significant negative correlation of blood lead levels and haemoglobin (r = - 0.400 and p 0.001). Children living around automobile and battery repair workshops had significantly high blood lead levels according to WHO and CDC criteria. Blood lead level (BLL) is a good screening and diagnostic test for the assessment of lead exposure in children living in lead contaminated high risk areas.

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