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Balkrishena Kaul,¹ Randhir S. Sandhu,¹ Conrado Depratt,² and Franklin Reyes²

¹Kaulson Laboratories, Inc., West Caldwell, New Jersey, USA
²University of Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana

Abstract

In August 1997 we performed a follow-up survey of 146 lead-poisoned children from a community near a previously active auto battery recycling smelter in Haina near Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Our follow-up survey confirmed a severe incidence of elevated blood lead (BPb) and erythrocyte protoporphyrin/zinc protoporphyrin (EP-ZnPP) levels. The mean BPb level was 32 µg/dL and the mean EP-ZnPP level was 128 µg/dL. The frequency distribution of BPb showed that only 9% of the children had BPb levels below the currently acceptable 10 µg/dL threshold level, 23% had between 10 and 19 µg/dL, 40% had between 20 and 39 µg/dL, 27% had between 40 and 99 µg/dL, and the remainder had > 100 µg/dL. These findings are significantly greater than the mean BPb and EP-ZnPP levels of 14 and 35 µg/dL, respectively, in a comparison group of 63 children in Barsequillo, 4 miles away. BPb frequency distributions for these groups were < 10 µg/dL (42%) , 10-19 µg/dL (32%) , and 20-39 µg/dL (16%) ; in the remaining 10%, BPb levels were between 40 and 99 µg/dL. Similarly, the corresponding frequency distribution of EP-ZnPP levels in Haina children were proportional to the severity of lead poisoning and significantly higher than those of the Barsequillo comparison group. This study reveals that at least 28% of Haina children require immediate treatment ; of these, 5% with lead levels > 70 µg/dL are also at risk for severe neurologic sequelae, and urgent action is imperative. Key words: auto batteries, blood lead, Carribean, environmental pollution, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, graphite furnace (AAS) , hematofluorometer, iron deficiency, lead poisoning, smelting. Environ Health Perspect 107:917-920 (1999) . [Online 19 October 1999]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/107p917-920kaul/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to B. Kaul, Kaulson Laboratories, Inc., 691 Bloomfield Avenue, West Caldwell, NJ 07006 USA. Telephone: (973) 226-9494. Fax: (973) 226-3244. E-mail: Kaulsonlab@aol.com

The authors would like to express their thanks to A. Fischbein for his comments, D. Guzmar and A. Marte for providing local assistance, S. Null for coordinating the survey, and M. Arjomand and R. Renna for preparation of the manuscript.

Received 29 March 1999 ; accepted 21 July 1999.