Assessment of environmental pollution by lead and its impact on the child's body (using the example of the Callao region in Peru)

Abstract

In the presented work, based on the existing information in abstract sources, as well as freely available statistical material collected by the Department of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Occupational Health Monitoring of the Callao region in Peru, the actual problem of lead pollution on a global scale is outlined, and ways to solve it are shown on the example of Peru, a country that is one of the leaders extraction of this metal. The analysis of the degree of pollution and the impact of lead on the environment, the assessment of the levels of lead in the blood of children living in the Callao district and the associated negative impact of lead pollution on the child's body was carried out. The article shows that in children, the earliest manifestations of lead exposure occur even at a blood level of only 10.0 micrograms/dl, while in Callao, lead levels in children's bodies are higher than this value. Levels from 50 to 60 mg/dl of lead are recorded here, while the maximum value in children under the age of 12 according to the World Health Organization (WHO) should not exceed 10 mg/dl. It is shown that a high proportion of children with elevated levels of lead in the blood is associated with the presence of industrial centers specializing in the melting of metals and the disposal of lead. The direction of winds, mainly from south to north and from southwest to northeast, could explain the higher proportion of children with elevated lead levels among residents of areas located in the north and northeast. As a result of data analysis, it was revealed that the control value less than 10 micrograms/dl, used as a threshold, is insufficient to preserve the health of the population. In addition, the article discusses possible ways to reduce pollution: through the implementation of programs for monitoring and assessing the environmental quality of the environment by companies engaged in the extraction of lead minerals. It is also necessary to comply with national environmental quality standards for lead content. Guidelines for various types of economic activities leading to the reduction of environmental pollution are proposed.