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KMID : 0378019690120020091
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New Medical Journal
1969 Volume.12 No. 2 p.91 ~ p.95
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A Study on lead concentration in air of industrial establishments in Korea.
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Abstract
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A study on lead concentration in air of industrial establishments in Korea. Kwang Mook Lee, Nam Won Palk
(Dept. of Preventive Medicine, Catholic Medical College) Lead is a substance among the earliest metals used by men. It, having low melting point, can be refined easily and it is so soft that it can be easily rolled into sheet and foil and extruded cold rods, pipes and tube containers. Alloyed with tin, antimony and other metals, lead proved the most satisfactory substance for using in industry.
The importance of lead and its compounds in industry, taken in relation to its physiological effects, is such that the degree of industrial exposure is of great hygienic significance. By our previous report, it was assumed that six percent of the industrial workers as a whole were exposed to lead fume and dust in their work places in Korea. In this survey, we measured lead concentration in air of work places sampled from eight different industries: storage battery manufacturing, printing, earthenware manufacturing, lead refining, electrical machinery, automobile manufacturing, petroleum refining and lead mining industry. The resultsare as follows:
1) The average concentrations of lead in air of lead refining industry show 0.64C.81 mg/m3, 0.31~0.66mg/m3 in storage battery industry, 0.21mg/m3 in cable covering process in electrical machinery industry. The concentrations are higher than the threshold limit value. Those of automobile manufacturing, printing and earthenware manufacturing industries are below the threshold limit value.
2) In petroleum refining industry where organic lead is used, the concentration of lead in air at the process to add tetraethyl lead to petroleum shows 0.065mg/m3. But there is a risk that cause lead poisoning in that process though the concentration is below the threshold limit value, for the organic lead can be absorbed through the intact skin.
3) None of the satisfactory control measures to prevent lead exposure has been found, such as local ventilation, automation, and protection of workers with personal protective devices, even in the industries which show higher concentration of lead in their work places. It seems that the ignorance of both employers and employees concerning the health hazards of lead workers and their control measures causes the defenceless against the lead exposure.
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