TY - JOUR
T1 - Occupational and environmental lead poisoning
T2 - Case study of a battery recycling smelter in Taiwan
AU - Wang, Jung Der
AU - Soong, Wei Tseun
AU - Chao, Kun Yu
AU - Hwang, Yaw Huei
AU - Jang, Chang Sheng
PY - 1998/7
Y1 - 1998/7
N2 - 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 χ/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 non-exposed forging factory 20 Km away. Air sampling showed an average of more than 10 μg/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.
AB - 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 χ/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 non-exposed forging factory 20 Km away. Air sampling showed an average of more than 10 μg/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.
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U2 - 10.2131/jts.23.supplementii_241
DO - 10.2131/jts.23.supplementii_241
M3 - Article
C2 - 9760474
AN - SCOPUS:0031880747
VL - 23
SP - 241
EP - 245
JO - Journal of Toxicological Sciences
JF - Journal of Toxicological Sciences
SN - 0388-1350
IS - SUPPL. 2
ER -
