Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Blood lead levels in incinerator workers.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Malkin, R; Brandt-Rauf, P; Graziano, J; Parides, M
Published in: Environmental research
October 1992

Questions have been raised concerning the safety of mass burn incineration and its role in solid waste management. In 1989, the New York City Office of Occupational Safety and Health examined air levels of metals in New York City incinerators and found that workers were exposed to air lead levels as high as 2500 micrograms/m3 while cleaning the electrostatic precipitators in the plant. In order to determine the biologic significance of these exposures to the workers, blood samples were taken from 56 incinerator workers and 25 controls and analyzed for lead and erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels. Incinerator workers were found to have a mean blood lead of 11.0 micrograms/dl as compared to the control group level of 7.4 micrograms/dl. Risk factors for increased blood lead levels were analyzed using multiple regression analyses. Wearing a personal protective device "always" or not and the interaction of smoking and cleaning the precipitator more than seven times in the past year were found to be significant predictors for blood lead. These results indicate that lead in municipal incinerator ash from electrostatic precipitators is bioavailable and that the effects of such exposure can be minimized by wearing personal protective devices, not smoking, and rotating the work force to minimize precipitator ash contact.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Environmental research

DOI

EISSN

1096-0953

ISSN

0013-9351

Publication Date

October 1992

Volume

59

Issue

1

Start / End Page

265 / 270

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Refuse Disposal
  • Protoporphyrins
  • Occupational Health
  • Occupational Diseases
  • New York City
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Lead
  • Humans
  • Air Pollutants, Occupational
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Malkin, R., Brandt-Rauf, P., Graziano, J., & Parides, M. (1992). Blood lead levels in incinerator workers. Environmental Research, 59(1), 265–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0013-9351(05)80245-2
Malkin, R., P. Brandt-Rauf, J. Graziano, and M. Parides. “Blood lead levels in incinerator workers.Environmental Research 59, no. 1 (October 1992): 265–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0013-9351(05)80245-2.
Malkin R, Brandt-Rauf P, Graziano J, Parides M. Blood lead levels in incinerator workers. Environmental research. 1992 Oct;59(1):265–70.
Malkin, R., et al. “Blood lead levels in incinerator workers.Environmental Research, vol. 59, no. 1, Oct. 1992, pp. 265–70. Epmc, doi:10.1016/s0013-9351(05)80245-2.
Malkin R, Brandt-Rauf P, Graziano J, Parides M. Blood lead levels in incinerator workers. Environmental research. 1992 Oct;59(1):265–270.
Journal cover image

Published In

Environmental research

DOI

EISSN

1096-0953

ISSN

0013-9351

Publication Date

October 1992

Volume

59

Issue

1

Start / End Page

265 / 270

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Refuse Disposal
  • Protoporphyrins
  • Occupational Health
  • Occupational Diseases
  • New York City
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Lead
  • Humans
  • Air Pollutants, Occupational