2 Predicting factors for lead accumulation in Mexican lithography press workers

• Published in: Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) England), 2013-09, Vol.70 (Suppl 1), p.A1-A1
• Main Authors: Juarez Perez, CA J P, Aguilar-Madrid, G A M, Sanchez-Roman, F R, Haro-Garcia, L C H G, Hu, H H, Hernandez-Avila, M H A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Exposure; Lithography
• ISSN: 1351-0711; 1470-7926
• DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2013-101717.2

Objectives Bone lead level is a good indicator of cumulative exposure. Aim research paper was to characterize lead exposure and identify main predictors of bone lead in workers at a lithography press. Methods The study population consisted of 90 active workers. Their bone lead levels were determined using the X - K fluorescent rays method. Measurements were in micrograms lead per gram mineral bone (μgPb/gmb) in patella (PbP), tibia (PbT), blood (PbB), air (PbA), and lead present on hands before (PbBe) and after washing (PbAf). Two multiple linear regression models were constructed for each bone, because colinearity. Results Mean, standard deviation (SD), and [range] were as follows. Age: 45 years (13) [20, 75]; seniority at the lithography press: 10.6 years, (9.3) [1, 40]; seniority at both printing presses: 20 years (15.5) [1, 65]; PbB: 12.3 mg/dL + 5.2, [3.4, 30.3]; PbP: 43.3 μgPb/gmb + 28.5 [-4.82, 136.9], PbT: 25.9 μgPb/g + 18.8 [-20.1, 74.2]; PbA 0.54 (mg/m3). GM (geometric mean): PbBe: 848.1 mg/m2 [27, 158 537] and PbAf 73 mg/m2 [3, 1463]. The PbP and PbT models explain 44% and 55% of accumulated lead variability, respectively; their predictors were: PbB β = 1.24 (p = 0.020) and β = 0.93 (p = 0.003); the seniority total years sum at both presses, β = 0.76 (p