ABSTRACT

The level of lead in the blood of occupationally exposed workers among 23 automechanics and 14 petrol attendants from five different sites in Lagos and 20 nonexposed students of the Lagos State University, Lagos, serving as control, was determined. The mean bleed lead values in the automechanics and petrol attendants, 67.6 ±13.2µg/dl and 70.6 + 19.0µg/dl respectively, were significantly higher than the value of 25.6 ± 6.7µg/dl among students (P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that among the automechanics, years of experience at the job had an inverse relationship with blood lead. Blood lead decreased by a factor of 0.45 for every year on the job. The situation was different with petrol attendants. Among the latter group, there was a positive correlation between the years of experience on the job and blood lead values. An increase of 2.2 µg/dl of blood lead was observed for every year on the job. Age was poorly correlated with blood lead values among all subjects. Blood lead value was significantly higher among smokers in all the three groups studied (P < 0.05).