ABSTRACT
To estimate blood lead level [BLL] and to assess the features of lead toxicity among lead acid battery [LAB] industrial workers. This prospective study was carried out in the medical centre of PCSIR Laboratories, Karachi from March 2012 - March 2013. Fifty LAB industry workers, males and females between 17-65 years were included in the study. They were divided into group 1 with 40 workers- directly related and group 2 with 10 workers -indirectly related, [administration staff members] to LAB manufacture. Detailed history, complete physical examination and BLL estimation by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer was done. Total 34 patients in group 1 and 3 patients in group 2 had elevated BLL. Comparison of group 1 and 2 revealed anemia [40v/s4], bone pain [38v/s7], abdominal pain [38 v/s 2], nausea [32v/s6], head ache and irritability [24v/s6], weakness and lethargy [21v/s6], tremors [13v/s0] insomnia [5v/s4], lead line [4v/s 0] and blood pressure above 140/90 mm of Hg [12v/s0] respectively. High blood lead level and features attributable to lead toxicity were prevalent among LAB industry workers of Karachi
ABSTRACT
An oil tanker, Tasman Spirit, carrying 67000 tons crude oil, got damaged near the Clifton Beach of Karachi, Pakistan and approx. 31,000 ton oil spilled into the sea. The distribution of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons was determined in deep sea and surface sediment collected at 12 stations along the Clifton beach of Karachi, following the oil spill. Sampling was performed during 2003-2006, starting just after the accident of the oil tanker. Concentrations of PAHs [116 parent components] and aliphatics were in the range of 0.09-560 ng/kg dw and 0.12-685 |ug/kg dw, respectively, since the date of accident and after bioremedial measures. The highest concentrations were found within the radius of 50 km around the site, the area most heavily impacted by the spill, whereas at the stations, away from the ship, the concentrations were in the lower range without alkylated compounds. Addition of increasing amounts of ship fuel oil [taken from a Pakistani ship] to a representative sediment sample showed that measurable concentration of the Tasman Spirit oil was > 1 g/kg of sediment. The toxicity of selected samples of surface sediment from the coastal area near oil spill showed higher PAH concentrations; the average number of dead fauna was 90-95% within 3 days of oil spill which gradually decreased with the time