Industrial lead poisoning in China over the past 33 years

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-6513(84)90012-5· OSTI ID:5974466

Wang, Y L

This paper is a review of the 48 articles in scientific journals and special reports of investigations emanating from the author's department involving 2504 subjects. During the past 33 years, as a result of the establishment of health and antiepidemic stations throughout the country, the enactment of hygienic standards, and the setting up of the reporting system for industrial poisoning and occupational diseases, the air lead level has been reduced from 10 mg/m3 in the years soon after liberation (1949) to below 0.03 mg/m3 at present. Severe plumbism has disappeared. Some mild cases, however, could still be found among workers in lead smelters and electric battery plants. Great advances have been made in techniques for early diagnosis of lead poisoning. Blood lead, urine lead, aminolevulinic dehydrase, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) have been used as criteria for lead exposure. For the purpose of preventive monitoring, ZnPP as a screening index is the first choice. Behavioral function and sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity measurements of median nerve might also be used for the investigation of lead exposure. The maximum allowable concentration of 0.03 mg/m3 for air lead level in the workshop, in agreement with the results of a nationwide lead industry investigation, has been proven safe. There is also the need to monitor the air lead level and blood lead level in the general population and children living adjacent to a lead industry.

• Research Organization: Shanghai First Medical Coll., People's Republic of China
• OSTI ID: 5974466
• Journal Information: Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States), Vol. 8:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHINA
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
HEALTH HAZARDS
LEAD
SMELTERS
BLOOD
HYDRO-LYASES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
PROTOPORPHYRINS
REVIEWS
URINE
ZINC
AIR POLLUTION
ASIA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
CARBON-OXYGEN LYASES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
HAZARDS
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
LYASES
MATERIALS
METALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PIGMENTS
POLLUTION
PORPHYRINS
WASTES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)