Lead dust exposure and blood lead levels among workers in used battery recycling factories in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Background: Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling factories produce Lead, which brings health effects among workers. Lead is an environmental and occupational pollutant agent. Lead toxicity is one of the most prevalent occupational and environmental health problems in the world.1 Objective: The main objective of the surveillance was to determine lead exposure levels and associated health effects among workers in ULAB recycling factories in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in two of the ULAB recycling factories (Factory A and Factory B) in Dar es Salaam. The Socio demographic characteristics from 149 workers in the two factories were assessed. Lead exposure levels in air and blood Lead level (BLL) was measured (n=60). Inductive Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AOS) used for analysis of Lead exposure level and BLL data and control measure were analysed using SPSS version 23. Results and discussion: The arithmetic mean (AM) age was 30.56 years with standard deviation (SD) 8.66. The mean duration of employment was 82.24(69.55) and 47(57.09) months for Factory A and Factory B respectively. Geometric Mean (SD) for Pb level in air were 307.9(5.08) µg/m3 and 242.9(1.94) µg/m3 for factory A and factory B respectively, which were higher compared to the OEL value of 50 µg/m3by NIOSH and that of 0.5µg/m3 by WHO. The mean Blood Lead Level was 9.36 µg/dL and 17.30 µg/dL for Factory A Factory B respectively. The use of protective equipment was 2.70 % for respirators and 79.90% reported on being provided with a piece of cloth. Conclusion: The study concludes that higher levels of lead in air was associated with the recycling processes at ULAB recycling factories. Workers in these factories had inappropriate PPE in comparison with hazards exposed. The mean Blood Lead level of the workers for factory were higher than the CDC reference value of 5µg/dL whereas at these level workers may experience health effects.