Dose-Response Relationship between Cumulative Occupational Lead Exposure and the Associated Health Damages: A 20-Year Cohort Study of a Smelter in China

Yue Wu, Jun-Ming Gu, Yun Huang, Yan-Ying Duan, Rui-Xue Huang and Jian-An Hu
Additional contact information
Yue Wu: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
Jun-Ming Gu: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
Yun Huang: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
Yan-Ying Duan: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
Rui-Xue Huang: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
Jian-An Hu: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Central South University, 110# Xiang-ya Rd., Changsha 410078, Hunan, China

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Long-term airborne lead exposure, even below official occupational limits, has been found to cause lead poisoning at higher frequencies than expected, which suggests that China’s existing occupational exposure limits should be reexamined. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1832 smelting workers from 1988 to 2008 in China. These were individuals who entered the plant and came into continuous contact with lead at work for longer than 3 months. The dose-response relationship between occupational cumulative lead exposure and lead poisoning, abnormal blood lead, urinary lead and erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) were analyzed and the benchmark dose lower bound confidence limits (BMDLs) were calculated. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between cumulative lead dust and lead fumes exposures and workplace seniority, blood lead, urinary lead and ZPP values. A dose-response relationship was observed between cumulative lead dust or lead fumes exposure and lead poisoning ( p < 0.01). The BMDLs of the cumulative occupational lead dust and fumes doses were 0.68 mg-year/m 3 and 0.30 mg-year/m 3 for lead poisoning, respectively. The BMDLs of workplace airborne lead concentrations associated with lead poisoning were 0.02 mg/m 3 and 0.01 mg/m 3 for occupational exposure lead dust and lead fume, respectively. In conclusion, BMDLs for airborne lead were lower than occupational exposure limits, suggesting that the occupational lead exposure limits need re-examination and adjustment. Occupational cumulative exposure limits (OCELs) should be established to better prevent occupational lead poisoning.

Keywords: cumulative lead exposure; biological effects; lead poisoning; dose-response relationship; benchmark dose; occupational exposure limits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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