Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Quantitative and semi-quantitative risk assessment of occupational exposure to lead among electrical solderers in Neyshabur, Iran

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lead is one of the most widely used elements in the world. Lead can cause acute and chronic complications such as abnormal hemoglobin synthesis, kidney damage, abortion, nervous system disorders, male infertility, loss of learning ability, behavioral disorders, and even death. The aim of this study was to carry out quantitative and semi-quantitative risk assessments of exposure to lead among the solderers of the Neyshabur electronics industry. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted in 2017 and 2018 on 40 female soldering workers exposed to lead. Semi-quantitative risk assessment was carried out according to the Singapore Health Department and quantitative risk assessment according to the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) method. The average occupational exposure to lead in the electronics manufacturing industry was 93.89 ± 33.40 μg m−3 with a range from 9 to 150 μg m−3. Occupational exposure to lead in the industrial groups of initial soldering with an average of 130.37 ± 40.23 μg m−3 and cutting wires, electroplating, and coating bare parts with an average of 110.24 ± 30.11 μg m−3 was higher than the secondary soldering groups with an average of 90.78 ± 20.22 and shift supervisors with an average of 43.86 ± 10.97 μg m−3. The mean excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was 0.11 per 1000 people and the mean non-carcinogenic risk (HQ) was 7.20. The results of this study indicate that there is a risk of non-carcinogenic complications among electronic solderers. Therefore, managers and employers should reduce lead exposure through engineering controls (substituting lead-free alloys, efficient ventilation) and management strategies such as reducing exposure hours.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aghilinejad M et al (2001) Occupational medicine and disease. Samarang Publication, Tehran

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrew D, Whitney V, Matthew M, Mark H (2015) An exposure and health risk assessment of lead (Pb) in lipstick. Food Chem Toxicol 80:253–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arasaratnam M et al (2004) Occupational lead exposure of soldering workers in an electronic factory. J Occup Safe Health 95:49

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkhordari A et al (2014) The glycoprofile patterns of endothelial cells in usual interstitial pneumonia. Int J Occup Environ Med 5:387–201–387–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Corkeron M (2008) Haddad and Winchester’s clinical management of poisoning and drug overdose. Anaesth Intensive Care 36(1):130–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa CA, Trivelato GC, Pinto AM, Bechara EJ (1997) Correlation between plasma 5-aminolevulinic acid concentrations and indicators of oxidative stress in lead-exposed workers. Clin Chem 43(7):1196–1202

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dehghan-Nasiri M et al (2012) Biological and environmental monitoring of lead and exposure in the automobile industry. Iran Occup Health 8:4

    Google Scholar 

  • Ericson B, Dowling R, Dey S, Caravanos J, Mishra N, Fisher S, Ramirez M, Sharma P, McCartor A, Guin P, Taylor MP, Fuller R (2018) A meta-analysis of blood lead levels in India and the attributable burden of disease. Environ Int 121:461–470

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu H, Boffetta P (1995) Cancer and occupational exposure to inorganic lead compounds: a meta-analysis of published data. Occup Environ Med 52(2):73–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Lestón J, Méndez J, Pásaro E, Laffon B (2010) Genotoxic effects of lead: an updated review. Environ Int 36(6):623–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golbabai F, et al. (2011). Health risk assessment of exposure to welding fumes of different processes of automotive industry. J Health Safety Work 1(1).

  • Golpayegani A, Khanjani N (2012) Environmental and occupational lead exposure in iran: a systematic review. J Health Dev 1(1):74–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Goudarzi G, Shirmardi M, Naimabadi A, Ghadiri A, Sajedifar J (2019) Chemical and organic characteristics of PM2. 5 particles and their in-vitro cytotoxic effects on lung cells: the Middle East dust storms in Ahvaz. Iran Sci Total Environ 655:434–445

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashemi Nejad N et al (2013) Survey of relationship between mental health and job stress among midwives who were working in hospitals of Kerman, Iran, 2011. Iran J Obstet, Gynecol Infertil 16(64):1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Health and Safety Executive of UK (HSE), (2005). Five steps to assessment: a brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace London. . Health and Safety Executive of UK 2005: Report No UKG156..

  • Heibati B, Pollitt KJG, Karimi A, Yazdani Charati J, Ducatman A, Shokrzadeh M, Mohammadyan M (2017) BTEX exposure assessment and quantitative risk assessment among petroleum product distributors. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 144:445–449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2006) Group authors from the World Health Organization. IARC Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

  • Kermani M, Farzadkia M, Rezaei Kalantari R, Bahmani Z (2018) Assessment risk of heavy metals in particulate matter smaller than 10 microns on Tehran’s Kahrizak Compost Complex workers in winter 2016. Iran Occup Health 15(2)

  • Khalili F, Mahvi AH, Nasseri S, Yunesian M, Djahed B, Yaseri M (2016) Risk assessment of non-carcinogenic heavy metals (Barium, Cadmium, and Lead) in hair color in markets of Tehran. Iran J Health Environ 9(1):27–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Khanjani N, Jafari M, Ahmadi Mousavi E (2018) Breast milk contamination with lead and cadmium and its related factors in Kerman, Iran. J Environ Health Sci Eng 16(2):323–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laforest L, Annino MC, Alluard A, Precausta D, van den Wiele F, Albouy J, Jehanno F (1999) Epidemiologic study of lead contamination of children of occupationally exposed parents. Revue d’epidemiologie et de sante publique 47(5):433–441

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lam TV et al (2007) Linkage study of cancer risk among lead-exposed workers in New Jersey. Sci Total Environ 372(2-3):455–462

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim HS, Lee JS, Chon HT, Sager M (2008) Heavy metal contamination and health risk assessment in the vicinity of the abandoned Songcheon Au–Ag mine in Korea. J Geochem Explor 96(2):223–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran (2017) occupational exposure limit. Environmental Research Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadyan M et al (2019a) Occupational exposure to styrene and its relation with urine mandelic acid, in plastic injection workers. Environ Monit Assess 191:62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadyan M, Moosazadeh M, Borji A, Khanjani N, Rahimi Moghadam S (2019b) Investigation of occupational exposure to lead and its relation with blood lead levels in electrical solderers. Environ Monit Assess 191:126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadyan M et al (2019c) Exposure to lead and its effect on sleep quality and digestive problems in soldering workers. Environ Monit Assess 191:184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadyan M, Moosazadeh M, Borji A, Khanjani N, Rahimi Moghadam S, Behjati Moghadam AM (2019d) Health risk assessment of occupational exposure to styrene in Neyshabur electronic industries. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26(12):11920–11927

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naimabadia A, Shirmardi M, Malekie H, Teymouri P et al (2018) On the chemical nature of precipitation in a populated Middle Eastern Region (Ahvaz, Iran) with diverse sources. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 16:558–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2003), Available: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-154/pdfs/8003.pdf.

  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2003, Available: https://www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/inorganic/id121/id121.pdf.

  • Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), (2009). Technical support document for cancer potency factors 2009. Available at:〈https://oehha.ca.gov/air/crnr/technical-support-document-cancer-potency-factors-2009〉. (Accessed ay 2017)..

  • Rahimi Moghadam S, Abedi S, Afshari M, Abedini E, Moosazadeh M (2017) Decline in lung function among cement production workers: a meta-analysis. Rev Environ Health 32(4):333–341

    Google Scholar 

  • Samimi K et al (2016) Assessment of health risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals by semi-quantitative method in a gas refinery complex. J Occup Health Epidemiol 5(4):194–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahtaheri SJ, Afshari D (2007) Occupational toxicology. Baraye Farda Publication, Tehran, pp 237–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Solgi E (2015) Risk assessment of non-carcinogenic effects of lead, cadmium, and zinc in Cyprinus carpio from Zarivar wetland. Health Field 4(2):3–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng N, Liu J, Wang Q, Liang Z (2010) Health risk assessment of heavy metal exposure to street dust in the zinc smelting district, Northeast of China. Sci Total Environ 408:726–733

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This project was approved and financially supported by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, by grant number 3036-96

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

    Mahmoud Mohammadyan & Mahmood Moosazadeh

  2. Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

    Narges Khanjani

  3. Occupational Health Department, Faculty of Health, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Somayeh Rahimi Moghadam

  4. Student Research Committee, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran

    Somayeh Rahimi Moghadam

Authors
  1. Mahmoud Mohammadyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahmood Moosazadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Narges Khanjani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Somayeh Rahimi Moghadam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Somayeh Rahimi Moghadam.

Ethics declarations

All participants signed a consent form. The purpose and method of doing the study was fully explained for all participants.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 2084 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mohammadyan, M., Moosazadeh, M., Khanjani, N. et al. Quantitative and semi-quantitative risk assessment of occupational exposure to lead among electrical solderers in Neyshabur, Iran. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 31207–31214 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06220-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06220-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation