CHILD EXPOSURE TO LEAD IN THE VICINITIES OF INFORMAL USED LEAD-ACID BATTERY RECYCLING OPERATIONS IN SLUMS, KENYA
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Date
2016-11
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Abstract
Leadexposure frominformal used lead-acidbattery (ULAB) recyclingoperations is a
seriousenvironmental healthconcern. Researchshows that youngchildrenliving inthe
vicinitiesoftheseoperationshaveelevatedbloodleadlevelsandfatalitieshavealsobeen
reported. FromJanuary2015 toAugust 2015, thestudy investigatedchildexposure to
lead inthevicinitiesof informalULABrecyclingoperations inNairobi slums,Kenya.
This was in consideration of activity patterns of children under seven years that
influencedexposurelevelsthroughhousedustandsoil.Topsoil (N=232)andfloordust
(N=322)sampleswerecollectedfromdwellingunits(N=120)andpreparatoryschools
(N:44)andanalyzedusing inductivelycoupledplasma-optical emissionspectrometer
(ICP-OES) at theMines aridGeological Department Laboratory in theMinistryof
Mining,Nairobi.Fromthe lead levels insoil andhousedustobtained,childblood lead
levelswere subsequently predictedusing the IntegratedExposureUptakeBiokinetic
Model forLead inChildren(IEUBK),Windowsversion.Results indicatedhigh indoor
andoutdoor lead contamination instudied areas. Lead loadings inall the floor dust
samples (100%) fromDandota, Kariobangi andMukuruslums exceeded theUSEPA
guidancevaluefor leadonfloorswitharangeof65.2-58,l94ug/ft2.Control floordust
samples recorded lower lead loadingsas compared to thevalues recorded inDandora,
Kariobangi andMukuruslums. 70.7%ofthesoil samplescollectedfromwastedumps,
industrial sites, residential areas, playgrounds and preparatory schools in Dandora,
Kariobangi andMukururecorded leadconcentrations that exceeded the respectiveUS
EPAguidancevalues for lead insoils. Leadconcentration inall (100%of) thecontrol
soil sampleswerebelowtherespectiveUSEPAguidancevalues. Fromthe IEUBKwin
predictions,nearly99.9%ofchildren<7yearsoldlivingnear informalULABrecycling
operations inDandora, Kariobangi andMukuru slums, were at riskof being lead
poisonedwithpredictedbloodleadlevelsabovetheCDCreferencevalueforbloodlead.
99.9%ofexposedchildrenlivinginDandora,KariobangiandMukumslumsarelikelyto
havebloodlead levelsabove20kg/dL, 19kg/dLand34kg/dLrespectively.Thestudy
establishedthatDandora,Kariobangi andMukuruslums facevastenvironmentalhealth
challenges,withmanychildrenat riskofleadpoisoningduetotherapidunprecedented
growthof informalULABrecycling. Thesoil andhousedust results demonstrate the
need for coordinatedefforts towards decreasing leademissions frominformal battery
recycling inNairobi slumsand to remediateexisting soilsparticularlyaroundbattery
workplaces and dumpsites. Childblood lead levels should be clinically tested and
appropriateinterventionmeasurestaken.