Increased lead absorption in children of workers in a lead storage battery plant.

Exposure to toxic materials originating in the workplace has been recognized in families of workers in several industries. However, to date this problem has not been studied in the storage battery production industry. Twenty-seven one- to six-year-old children of 22 workers at a storage battery plant at high risk of exposure to lead oxide were compared with 32 one- to six-year-old children in 22 neighborhood control families for evidence of increased lead absorption. Workers' children had significantly higher blood lead (p less than 0.001) and erythrocyte protoporphyrin (p less than 0.003) values than control children. Household exposures to lead in paint and water were similar for the two groups, but workers' homes had significantly higher concentrations of lead in dust (p less than 0.001). It is postulated that lead is brought home on the skin, hair and clothing of the workers and that their children are ingesting or inhaling the lead in household dust. This is the first report of increased lead absorption in children of workers in this industry.