A Study on prevalence and risk factors in children with excessive lead in their blood and the risk of lead poisoning in MuangSamutsakhon District, Samutsakhon Province By Tipvarin Pumnoi, THAILAND

1. A Study on prevalence and risk factors in children with excessive lead in their
blood and the risk of lead poisoning in Muang Samutsakhon District,
Samutsakhon Province
Mrs. Tipvarin Pumnoi, Professional Registered Nurse, Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, Division of
Occupational Medicine, Samutsakhon Hospital, Mobile phone no. 081-3437990, Office phone no. 034-427099
extension no. 5205,5206 E mail: moddang403@gmail.com

2. Background
Found that 8-month old Thai girl with Lead Poisoning admitted to the
hospital with symptoms of drowsiness and convulsion. Patient history check found
that parents work for industrial waste recycling factory (sludge waste from preaching
factories) and a child stays with her parents in the factory.

3. A child was found with lead level in the blood of 243 micrograms / deciliter and
then referred to Ramathibodi Hospital for detoxifying and palliative treatment until
she improved. Doctor allowed her to return home but need to monitor
continuously

4. Blood screening for factory owner and employees in that factory of 14 cases. Lead
was found in the blood over the standard (the lead 51.4 to 129.2 micrograms /
deciliter ) with average of 73.30 micrograms / deciliter. Six people need to have
medicine for detoxifying of lead.

5. Investigation of environment for a level of lead such as soil from bags - patient’s room and
family within the factory
- Plastic floor mat - 2,800 mg/kg
- Mattress - 6,300 mg/kg
- Dust on floor - 37,858 mg/kg
- Wall paints -590 mg/kg
- Kid’s clothes - 1,100 mg/kg
- Soil from bags - 67,215 mg/kg

6. •Samutsakhon Provincial Industry Office has 3 Districts that have industrial factories
which cause a risk of high lead poisoning. There are 19 waste recycling factories and
108 preaching factories.

7. Objectives
•To find out the prevalence rate of children with excessive lead in their blood
and the risk of lead poisoning in Muang Samutsakhon District, Samutsakhon
Province
•Study on risk factors in children with excess lead in the blood and risk of lead
poisoning in Muang Samutsakhon District, Samutsakhon Province

8. Methods
- Blood screening of children from 6 months to 6 years old in Well Child Clinic in
Tambon Health Promoting Hospitals in Muang Samutsakhon District
- History check and questionnaires on parents

9. - For children with lead rate over 5 micrograms / deciliter , there is a
house visit to provide health education and behavior modification for
parents and children, and to monitor an environment within the housing

10. Results within 3 Sub-districts with risk of lead poisoning
Screening of 168 children
Lead level in blood
- 5 cases of greater or equal to 35 micrograms / deciliter that need to admit for
detoxification of lead and a treatment of anemia
- 21 cases (12.5%) of greater or equal to 10 micrograms / deciliter (lead rate of 10.01-
113.80 micrograms / deciliter ) which has an average of 20.36 micrograms / deciliter
- 65 cases (38.69 %) of greater or equal to 5 micrograms / deciliter (lead rate of 5.01-113.80
micrograms / deciliter ) which has an average of 11.18 micrograms / deciliter
Found that children with high lead in the blood and need treatments, having parents who
work for metal melting factory

11. Other Sub-Districts
Screening of 385 children
Results of lead in the blood test
- Found none of children who need detoxifying of lead
- 9 cases (2.34 %) of greater or equal to 10 micrograms / deciliter (lead rate of 10.54-
28.2 micrograms / deciliter ) which has an average of 16.39 micrograms / deciliter
- 102 cases (26.49 %) of greater or equal to 5 micrograms / deciliter (lead rate of 5-
28.23 micrograms / deciliter ) which has an average of 7.57 micrograms / deciliter
-Found that children with high lead in the blood not having parents who work
for risk factory

12. Support information for environmental monitoring
Environment that has high rate of lead, such as;
- Cheap toys bought from a market that paint has come off easily
- Oil-based paints
- Playground equipment in school that are built from steel and painted with oil
paints

13. Conclusions
- Children in Muang Samusakhon District were found with risk of lead poisoning in the
industrial sector and general environment and industrial sectors have a higher risk than in
general environment.
- The problem solving of lead poisoning would succeed when there are cooperation and
supports from relevant agencies and local governments.
- Preventing lead poisoning is to focus on hand washing, behavior modification for parents
and children, and environmental modification and giving the knowledge of the principles of
occupational health prevention for parents.

14. THANK YOU

15. Curriculum vitae that outlines related work experience and professional
activities
Responsibility to toxicology and environmental medicine, Division of Occupational
Medicine, Samutsakhon Hospital
Notable works
- Develop a plan for a chemical accident at the provincial level and trainings every
year since Samutsakhon Province has the use of so many chemicals and chemicals that
have dangerous levels of chemicals, including ammonia and corrosive substances
including sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide.
- Develop a system for protection and treatment for toxicology patients in
Samutsakhon Province; general chemical and lead poisoning problems in the area.

16. Please explain how attending this conference would
benefit you work
To help those involved in all sectors see the importance of
problems of chemicals and toxics in the area more and to support
operations of problem solving in the future.