Exposure to lead in South African shooting ranges

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2017 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2016.11.021· OSTI ID:22689535

Mathee, Angela ^[1]; Jager, Pieter de ^[2]; Naidoo, Shan ^[2]; Naicker, Nisha ^[1]

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1. South African Medical Research Council, Environment & Health Research Unit, PO Box 87373, Houghton 2041 (South Africa)
2. University of the Witwatersrand (School of Public Health), PO Box Wits, Johannesburg 2050 (South Africa)

Introduction: Lead exposure in shooting ranges has been under scrutiny for decades, but no information in this regard is available in respect of African settings, and in South Africa specifically. The aim of this study was to determine the blood lead levels in the users of randomly selected private shooting ranges in South Africa's Gauteng province. Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was conducted, with participants recruited from four randomly selected shooting ranges and three archery ranges as a comparator group. Results: A total of 118 (87 shooters and 31 archers) were included in the analysis. Shooters had significantly higher blood lead levels (BLL) compared to archers with 36/85 (42.4%) of shooters versus 2/34 (5.9%) of archers found to have a BLL ≥10 μg/dl (p<0.001). Conclusion: Shooting ranges may constitute an import site of elevated exposure to lead. Improved ventilation, low levels of awareness of lead hazards, poor housekeeping, and inadequate personal hygiene facilities and practices at South African shooting ranges need urgent attention. - Highlights: • This is the first study, to our knowledge, of lead exposure in shooting ranges in an African setting. • This study indicates highly elevated lead exposure amongst the users of certain private shooting ranges in South Africa. • Lead exposure may be a serious, yet under-studied, source of adult lead exposure in South Africa, and possibly elsewhere on the African continent.

• OSTI ID: 22689535
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Journal Name: Environmental Research Vol. 153; ISSN ENVRAL; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ADULTS
BLOOD
HEALTH HAZARDS
LEAD
RANDOMNESS
SOUTH AFRICA