Ondayo Maureene Auma, Simiyu Gelas Muse, Raburu Phillip Okoth, Were Faridah Hussein
Department of Environmental Health and Biology, School of Environmental Studies, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya.
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Natural Resource Management, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya.
J Health Pollut. 2016 Dec 22;6(12):15-25. doi: 10.5696/2156-9614-6.12.15. eCollection 2016 Dec.
Child exposure to lead from informal used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling operations is a serious environmental health problem, particularly in developing countries.
We investigated child exposure to lead in the vicinities of ULAB recycling operations in the Dandora, Kariobangi and Mukuru slums in Nairobi between January and August 2015.
Top soil (n = 232) and floor dust (n = 322) samples were collected from dwelling units (n = 120) and preparatory schools (n = 44) and analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer at the Mines and Geological Department Laboratory in the Ministry of Mining, Nairobi. From the obtained lead levels in soil and house dust, child blood lead levels were subsequently predicted using the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic Model for Lead in Children (IEUBK), Windows version.
Lead loadings in all the floor dust samples from the Dandora, Kariobangi and Mukuru slums exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidance value for lead on floors with a range of 65.2 - 58,194 μg/ft. Control floor dust samples recorded lower lead loadings compared to the Dandora, Kariobangi and Mukuru slums. Lead concentration in 70.7% of the soil samples collected from waste dumps, industrial sites, residential areas, playgrounds and preparatory schools in Dandora, Kariobangi and Mukuru exceeded the respective USEPA guidance values for lead in soils. Lead concentration in 100% of control soil samples were below the respective USEPA limits. The IEUBK model predicted that nearly 99.9% of children ≤ 7 years old living near informal ULAB recycling operations in Dandora, Kariobangi and Mukuru were at risk of being lead poisoned, with predicted blood lead levels (BLL) above the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reference value for blood lead. A total of 99.9% of exposed children living in the Mukuru slums are likely to have BLL above 34 μg/dL.
There is a need for coordinated efforts to decrease lead emissions from informal battery recycling in Nairobi slums and to remediate existing soils, particularly around battery workplaces and dumpsites. The BLL of local children should be clinically tested and appropriate intervention measures taken.
儿童接触来自非正式废旧铅酸电池回收作业的铅是一个严重的环境卫生问题，在发展中国家尤为如此。
我们于2015年1月至8月调查了内罗毕丹多拉、卡里奥班吉和穆库鲁贫民窟中废旧铅酸电池回收作业周边儿童的铅暴露情况。
从住宅单元（n = 120）和预备学校（n = 44）采集表土（n = 232）和地板灰尘（n = 322）样本，并在内罗毕矿业部矿业与地质部实验室使用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱仪进行分析。根据土壤和房屋灰尘中获得的铅含量，随后使用儿童铅综合暴露吸收生物动力学模型（IEUBK，Windows版本）预测儿童血铅水平。
丹多拉、卡里奥班吉和穆库鲁贫民窟所有地板灰尘样本中的铅含量均超过美国环境保护局（USEPA）对地板铅含量的指导值，范围为65.2 - 58,194μg/英尺。对照地板灰尘样本的铅含量低于丹多拉、卡里奥班吉和穆库鲁贫民窟。从丹多拉、卡里奥班吉和穆库鲁的垃圾场、工业区、居民区、操场和预备学校采集的土壤样本中，70.7%的铅浓度超过了USEPA对土壤中铅的相应指导值。100%的对照土壤样本中的铅浓度低于USEPA的相应限值。IEUBK模型预测，居住在丹多拉、卡里奥班吉和穆库鲁非正式废旧铅酸电池回收作业附近的7岁及以下儿童中，近99.9%有铅中毒风险，预测血铅水平（BLL）高于疾病控制中心（CDC）的血铅参考值。居住在穆库鲁贫民窟的所有暴露儿童中，99.9%的血铅水平可能高于34μg/dL。
需要协同努力，减少内罗毕贫民窟非正式电池回收的铅排放，并修复现有土壤，特别是电池工作场所和垃圾场周围的土壤。当地儿童的血铅水平应进行临床检测，并采取适当的干预措施。
