Air and blood lead levels in a battery factory.

Chronic exposure of acid-lead battery factory workers to lead was assessed by determining blood lead levels (PbB) in 80 blood samples obtained from 20 workers and relating the values to lead in air (PbA) values in 80 air samples collected at four operational areas. All the samples were analyzed for lead by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The geometric means of PbA at the sampling areas were: 92.01 micrograms/m3 in the casting and pasting area; 85.73 micrograms/m3 in the assembly line area; 36.31 micrograms/m3 in the battery charging and sales area; and 4.2 micrograms/m3 in the administration area. The corresponding PbB values were 32.19 micrograms/dl, 35.42 micrograms/dl, 17.33 micrograms/dl and 7.78 micrograms/dl, respectively. The correlations between the PbA and PbB were positive for all the areas and also for the dry and wet seasons. The possibility of predicting PbB by monitoring PbA needs to be evaluated.