PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN RURAL THAI CHILDREN.

A community-based study was conducted to determine personal risk factors and environmental sources of lead exposure for elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 µg/dl, EBLLs) among rural children living at the Thailand-Myanmar border in Tak Province, northwestern Thailand. Six hundred ninety-five children aged 1-14 years old were screened for BLLs. Environmental specimens for lead measurements included samples of water from the streams, taps, and household containers, house floor dust, and foods. Possible lead release from the cooking ware was determined using the leaching method with acetic acid. The overall prevalence of EBLLs was 47.1% and the geometric mean level of blood lead was 9.16 µg/dl. Personal risk factors significantly associated with EBLLs included being male, younger age, anemia, and low weight-for-age. Significant environmental risk factors were exposure to a lead-acid battery of solar energy system and use of a non-certified metal cooking pot. Some families whose children had high BLLs reported production of lead bullets from the used batteries at home. About one-third of the house dust samples taken near batteries contained lead content above the recommended value, compared with none of those taken from other areas and from the houses with no batteries. The metal pots were safe for cooking rice but might be unsafe for acidic food preparation. Both nutritional intervention and lead exposure prevention programs are essential to reduce EBLLs in this population.

Lack of safety systems in agricultural settings in rural Thailand: a report of three worker death.

BACKGROUND: Three farm workers lost consciousness within a few minutes after entering a silo pit on a farm located in a rural Thai village. All victims died later in the hospital. OBJECTIVE: To identify the cause of unconsciousness in these victims and to determine safety systems for agricultural enterprises containing silos. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Medical records of the three decedents were reviewed for demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and the cause of deaths. Co-workers of the decedents were interviewed to obtain details of the victims' work on the farm during the incident. Concentrations of oxygen and other potentially hazardous gases were measured in the pit where the victims collapsed. All agricultural enterprises that have silos in the district were identified and investigated for safety systems. RESULTS: Of the three decedents, two died in a rescue attempt. They all developed metabolic acidosis and died 1-3 days following admission. Oxygen concentration at the top of the pit was 20.9% and decreased to 0.8% at a depth of 1 meter and to 0.0% at the bottom of the three-meter pit. Carbon dioxide, which is heavier than air, was the major asphyxiant displacing oxygen in this confined space. Lack of safety systems were detected on this farm and in all settings containing silos in the district. CONCLUSION: Asphyxiation due to oxygen depletion was the cause of all deaths. It is essential to install safety systems for work in confined spaces in agricultural settings.