From the Department of Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Abstract: (5514 Views)
Lead-based paint is an important cause of lead poisoning. This report
describes our observation of excessive lead absorption among employees in a paint
factory in which lead naphthenate and lead oxalate were used as drying agents in
paint. In this study, blood levels of lead were compared between nineteen paint
factory employees and twenty normal controls.
The nineteen paint factory employees had a mean blood lead concentration
of 50.71 µg/dL which was significantly (P<0.01) higher than that of controls
(20.44 µg/dL). There was a good correlation between blood lead levels and job
tenures of the employees [r= 0.55, confidence= 95% (0.13-0.81)]. Lumbar pain
(47.37%), abdominal pain (42.1% ), renal complications (21 %), anxiety (39.1 %),
nervousness (52.63%), headache (42.4%), peripheral pain (36.8%) and anemia
(10.5%) were the chief complaints of these employees. The use of lead naphthenate
and lead oxalate in paint is clearly associated with excessive air-borne exposure
to lead. Technical and medical protective control of occupational exposures is
needed in paint industries.