DETERMINATION OF LEAD IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND IN THE URBAN SERVICE WORKERS IN A TEHRAN MANICIPILITY DISTRICT

The purpose of this study was to measure ambient lead concentrations in Tehran's 12th Municipal District and also Pb concentrations in urine samples from municipal workers assigned to the same region. In this research workers from the 12th District were matched and compared with a control group who were doing the same type of work in another region in northern Tehran with lighter traffic and comparatively clean air.Air samples were analyzed by atomic absorption techniques. Results showed the mean air concentration of lead to be higher than standard (1.5ug/m3) except on Fridays and Thursdays (1.9±0.32). The end-shift urine samples were prepared and analyzed using the HSE method. Lead levels in 77.1% of the urine samples were higher than HSE-recommended limits (643.86±353.73). The independent t-test indicated that the mean urine Pb concentration in the case group was significantly higher than in controls (p<0.001). Mean urine lead levels in smokers were significantly higher than non-smokers in case group (p^0.043). The Pearson Correlation test showed a significant relationship between urine Pb concentration and age, duration of employment, and smoking habit in case workers (r=0.427, p= 0.011, r=0.385, p=0.632; and r=0.632, p=0.009 respectively). Also, the Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that urine lead levels were independent of the workerseducation level and work shifts.