Rapid Market Screening to Assess Lead Concentrations in Consumer Products across 25 Low- and Middle-Income Countries-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Rapid Market Screening to Assess Lead Concentrations in Consumer Products across 25 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Published:2024-01-09 Issue: Volume: Page:
ISSN:
Container-title:
language:
Short-container-title:

Author:

Sargsyan Aelita¹,Nash Emily¹,Binkhorst Gordon¹,Forsyth Jenna E.²,Jones Barbara³,Ibarra Gabriel Sanchez¹,Berg Sarah¹,McCartor Andrew¹,Fuller Richard¹,Bose-O’Reilly Stephan⁴

Affiliation:

1. Pure Earth

2. Stanford University

3. Cardinal Resources

4. University Hospital, LMU Munich

Abstract

Background: Lead exposure can have serious consequences for health and development. The neurological and behavioral effects of lead are considered irreversible. Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. In 2020, Pure Earth and UNICEF estimated that one in three children had elevated blood lead levels above 5 µg/dL. The sources of lead exposure vary around the world and can range from household products, such as spices or cookware, to environmental pollution from nearby industries. The aim of this study was to analyze common products from markets in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for their lead content to determine whether they are plausible sources of exposure. Methods: In 25 LMICs, the research teams systematically collected consumer products (metal cookware, ceramics, cosmetics, paints, toys, spices and other foods). The items were analyzed on site for detectable lead above 2 ppm using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer. For quality control purposes, a subset of the samples was analyzed in the USA using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The lead concentrations of the individual product types were compared with established regulatory thresholds. Results: Out of 5007 analyzed products, threshold values (TV) were surpassed in 51% for metal cookware (TV 100 ppm), 45% for ceramics (TV 100 ppm), and 41% for paints (TV 90 ppm). Conclusions: Sources of exposure in LMICs can be diverse, and consumers in LMICs lack adequate protection from preventable sources of lead exposure. Rapid Market Screening is an innovative, simple, and useful tool to identify risky products that could be sources of lead exposure.

Publisher

Research Square Platform LLC

Reference43 articles.

1. Amitai Y, Bakir H, Besbelli N, Boese-O’Reilly S, Cebrian M, Dai Y, et al. Childhood lead poisoning. editor. Geneva, Switzerland.: WHO Document Production Services,;: World Health Organization; 2010.

2. Bose-O’Reilly S, Landrigan P. Metal toxicology in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. In: Nordberg GF, Costa M, editors. Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals Volume I: General Considerations. London: Elsevier; 2021. p. 796.

3. WHO (World Health Organization). WHO guideline for clinical management of exposure to lead. 2021.

4. Rees N, Fuller R. The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential [Internet]. UNICEF, Pure Earth, editors. 2020. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/media/73246/file/The-toxic-truth-children%E2%80%99s-exposure-to-lead-pollution-2020.pdf.

5. Bergdahl IA, Skerfving S. Lead. In: Nordberg GF, Costa M, editors. Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals Volume I: General Considerations. London: Elsevier; 2021. pp. 427–93.