Indian Journal of Medical Biochemistry

Register      Login

VOLUME 23 , ISSUE 3 ( September-December, 2019 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

Estimation of Urinary Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Garage Workers as an Index of Lead Exposure

Sachin A Patharkar, Shalu J Benwal, Alka V Nerurkar, Neelam Patil

Keywords : Blood lead levels, Cross-sectional observational study–original research, Lead, Lead poisoning in garage workers, Urinary delta (δ) ALA

Citation Information : Patharkar SA, Benwal SJ, Nerurkar AV, Patil N. Estimation of Urinary Delta Aminolevulinic Acid Levels in Garage Workers as an Index of Lead Exposure. Indian J Med Biochem 2019; 23 (3):312-315.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10054-0113

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-06-2018

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2019; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Lead is the toxic heavy element in the environment. Human exposure to lead and its compounds occurs mostly in lead-related occupations such as car repair, battery manufacturing and recycling, refining, smelting. Lead is a highly poisonous metal affecting almost every organ in the body. Lead inhibits necessary enzymes required for heme synthesis, and this results in increased levels of delta-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA) excretion through urine. Aim: To estimate the urinary δ-ALA acid levels in garage workers as an index of lead exposure. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study in Mumbai from different suburban localities. The study was done on 72 garage workers of age group between 18 years and 50 years with their brief history related to lead exposure. Their urine samples were analyzed for δ-ALA by Ehrlich method. Results: According to our observation, it was found that out of 72 urine samples 19 samples (26.38%) have urinary δ-ALA levels below reference value (<5 mg/L), while 53 samples showed increased urinary δ-ALA levels (73.61%); out of these, 45 workers (84.90%) fall in the moderate-to-high exposure level category (5 or >5 to 20 mg/L), 8 workers (15.09%) fall in the dangerous—very high exposure level category (20 or >20 to 40 mg/L). Conclusion: The prevalence of lead exposure among our study population is 73.61%. Clinical significance: We conclude that there is high prevalence of lead exposure in garage workers in Mumbai, and necessary precautions need to be taken to avoid it.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Staudinger KC, Roth VS. Occupational lead poisoning. Am Fam Physician 1998 Feb;57(4):719–726.
  2. Sanborn MD, Abelsohn A, Campbell M, et al. Identifying and managing adverse environmental health effects: 3. Lead exposure. CMAJ 2002;166:1287–1292.
  3. Watts J. Lead poisoning cases spark riots in China. Lancet 2009 Sep;374(9693):868. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61612-3.
  4. Pala K, Turkkan A, Gucer S, et al. Occupational lead exposure: blood lead levels of apprentices in Bursa, Turkey. Ind Health 2009 Jan;47(1):97–102. DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.47.97.
  5. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Air Quality Guidelines. Copenhagen; 2001.
  6. Massaro EJ. Handbook of Human Toxicology. New York: CRC Press; 1997.
  7. Wada O, Toyokawa K, Urata G, et al. A simple method for the quantitative analysis of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid to evaluate lead absorption. Br J Ind Med 1969;26(3):240–243.
  8. Cramer K, Selander S. Studies in lead poisoning: Comparison between different laboratory tests. Br J Ind Med 1965;22(4):311–314. DOI: 10.1136/oem.22.4.311.
  9. Tomokuni K, Ogata M. Simple method for determination of urinary 5-aminolevulinic acid as an index of lead exposure. Clin Chem 1972; 18(12):1534–1536.
  10. Lane RE, Hunter D, Malcolm D, et al. Diagnosis of inorganic lead poisoning: A statement. Br Med J 1968;4(5629):501. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.4.5629.501.
  11. Strayer DS, Rubin E. Environmental and Nutritional Pathology In: Rubin R, Strayer DS, Rubin E, McDonald JM ed. Rubins pathology; Clinicopathologic Foundations of Medicine. 5th ed., Lippincot Williams & Wilkins; 2008. p. 267.
  12. King M, Ramachandran V. Kirk-Othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology, 4th ed, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; 1995. pp. 69–113.
  13. Shenoi RP, Khandekar RN, Jayakar AV, et al. Sources of lead exposure in urban slum school children. Indian Paediatr 1991;28: 1021–1027.
  14. Tanabe Y. Metabolism of delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen in lead poisoning. I. Amounts of ALA and PBP in the urine and blood. Jap J Nat Health 1959;28:386–397.
  15. Lin-Fu JS. Lead poisoning in children. H.E.W. Child. Bur. Pub. No. 452, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.; 1967.
  16. Bauer JD. Clinical Laboratory Methods. St. Louis Missouri: The C.V. Mosby Company; 1982.
  17. Lee BK. Occupational lead exposure of storage battery workers in Korea. Br J Ind Med 1982 Aug;39(3):283–289. DOI: 10.1136/oem.39.3.283.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.