| This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between urinary delta- aminolevulinic acid and blood lead levels among 360 Romanian battery workers. Each of the workers belonged to one of six departments (P, MF, CII, ME, I, or T) in the battery plant and lead exposure was defined based on working conditions, department, and the regulations set in place. Blood lead concentration, urinary delta- aminolevulinic acid measurements, and biomarkers were performed for each of the workers. A structured questionnaire was also administered to 188 of the subjects to gather personal information, work organization, health risks, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and their perceptions of the work environment. Analysis revealed that blood lead levels were influenced by urinary delta- aminolevulinic acid levels (p= 0.020) as well as the various departments that the subjects worked in (p= 0.013 for department P and p= 0.022 for department MF), while age and gender did not play a significant role in the relationship. From the questionnaire responses, it was found that though the employer provided their workers with personal protective equipment, the subjects still had significant amounts of lead exposure (as indicated by the elevated blood lead and urinary delta- aminolevulinic acid levels). Unfortunately, though a majority of the study participants claimed to use the proper protective tools throughout their work day, our findings indicate that the battery workers are not fully protected from possibly high levels of lead (as well as other chemicals). Education on the proper use of personal protective equipment as well as strict enforcement of appropriate and cost effective control measures should be required to prevent individuals from the deleterious health effects due to lead exposure. |
