Open AccessBlood lead levels of the battery and exhaust workers and their pulmonary function tests
Author(s) -
Bagci C.,
Bozkurt A.I.,
Cakmak E.A.,
Can S.,
Cengiz B.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/j.1368-5031.2004.00002.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary function testing , spirometer , lead (geology) , expiration , inhalation , blood lead level , vital capacity , spirometry , ventilation (architecture) , anesthesia , cardiology , respiratory system , asthma , lung function , lung , diffusing capacity , lead exposure , exhaled nitric oxide , cats , mechanical engineering , geomorphology , engineering , geology
Summary In an attempt to understand the impact of inhaled lead on the pulmonary functions, we assessed the blood lead levels and pulmonary functions of the battery and exhaust workers who are potential candidates for lead inhalation. The hospital staff served as control group. The measurements of lead levels were performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed using a portable spirometer. The blood lead levels of the battery workers, exhaust workers and controls were found to be 36.83, 26.94 and 14.81 µg/dl, respectively. The values of the workers were significantly higher than the controls (p < 0.001). The lead levels of the battery workers were also significantly higher than the exhaust workers (p < 0.001). PFT results (maximum voluntary ventilation, forced expiration flow and first forced expiration volume values of the workers) were significantly worse than the controls, and their pulmonary function test results were consistent with restrictive problems in the airways.