Survey study of lead exposure among lead workers in Erbil

Abstract EN

Objectives : The aim of this work was to assess lead contamination among lead workers in Erbil city.

Patients and methods : This study was carried out on male people working in printing press (30 workers), radiator repairing (26 workers), battery repairing (26 workers), and gasoline power generator (25 workers), compared with control group (30 males).

Results : Blood lead levels significantly increased in printing press workers (P < 0.05), radiator and battery repairing workers (p < 0.01), while there was non-significant difference in gasoline power generator workers.

A significant correlation was found between duration of exposure and blood lead level in all the above groups and there was insignificant correlation between age and blood lead levels.

Conclusion : Lead blood levels in, printing, battery, radiator repairing, and gasoline generator workers were elevated.

Blood lead levels correlated with duration of lead exposure in printing, battery, and radiator workers, but not with their ages.