Lead Venkatesh

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEAD ON THE HEALTH STATUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THUPPIL VENKATESH

Member Ministry of Environment & Forest (India) Advisor QCI & Lead Assessor NABL, NABH, NABCB Director NRCLPI & Professor Dept of Biochemistry & Biophysics St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences Bangalore 560034

E-mail: [email protected] www: leadpoison.net INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Battery Recycling In New Delhi, 2004 Something can be done about this:

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Skills and lead Intellectual abilities is inversely proportional to blood lead.

IT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE A CHILD INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Lead Poisoning Epidemic In Developing Countries Lead poisoning is the most serious environmental health threat to women and children 

The World Health Organization estimates that 120 million people are overexposed to lead and 99 percent of the most serious cases are in the developing world.

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Children most severely effected (school performance, IQ, mental retardation, anemia, GI tract, kidney damage & other symptoms) INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Entry in to our system

No specific ingestion route – we eat it, we drink it, and we breathe it. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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DNA & lead  Chronic

lead exposure is known to bring about significant damage to DNA. Even very low levels of blood lead of less than 5 micrograms per deciliter is known to have caused DNA aberrations.  Estimated cost of lead poisoning among children in India is over 3000 million rupees per year. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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LEAD - HISTORICAL ASPECTS   

Mankind has used lead for over 6000 years Earliest recorded lead mine is in Turkey about 6500 BC In ancient city of Anatolia smelted lead in the form of necklace is found estimated age of this necklace is 6000-8000 years.

Human exposure is mainly due to  Easy workability  low MP  Ability to form carbon metal compound  Holds pigment well  Withstands extreme climatic conditions  High degree of corrosion resistance  Low cost 

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ACBI 2000

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Lead Acid Battery Almost 80% of all the lead now used in many parts of the world is for the production of lead-acid batteries. It is unfortunate that in India and other developing countries the environmental friendly recycled lead is of much lower proportion in lead acid battery manufacturing. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Lack of awareness

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Costs of Lead Poisoning 

The estimated cost of lead poisoning among children in India is over 600 million dollars (U.S.) per year

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Additional costs for adults excluded: gastrointestinal disorders, anemia, reproductive effects (including birth defects), cancer, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disease (resulting from elevated blood pressure).

The savings from implementing the certification program is over 20 million dollars for a 10 year period INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Scientific importance “If we were to judge of the interest excited by any medical subject by the number of writings to which it has given birth, we could not but regard the poisoning by lead as the most important to be known of all those that have been treated of, up to the present time.” Orfila, 1817 INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Lead in environment  Prior

to 2000, lead was added to gasoline as an anti-knock agent in India.  By the end of 1999, 51% children’s below 12 years of age with blood lead greater than 10ug/dl.  Indian government introduced unleaded gasoline in March 2000. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Other cognitive effects: reading

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1st Series of Epidemiological Studies

There is a decrease in I.Q. associated with an increase in blood lead. There is no threshold.

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IQ and Child  If

Einstein were to be born in India – He would have missed his Nobel Prize  How many children in DEVELOPING COUNTRIES are deprived of this intellectual achievements due to lack of awareness about lead poisoning.

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Thousands in India

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Thousands of land mines are found in developing countries

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XRF lead reading, mg/cm sq.

Comparison of Lead Content of New Paint by Color (based on 3rd coat readings) 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Paint Color INCHES Vienna June 2007

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Where children play are loaded with lead

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Would you like have any child to play with this ?

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Important Properties of Lead in a Biological system  Lead

bio-accumulates in bones, teeth, nails, and hair.  The ultimate fate of lead is – it doesn’t degrade. Binds to several proteins in the body. Competes with Calcium metabolism  No placental barrier or blood brain barrier. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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BLOOD LEAD LEVELS > 10UG/DL USING ASV AGE

>12 Y

<12 Y

Comments

51.4% 39.9% 55.7% 66.8% 54.1% 61.8%

Increasing Increasing no change Increasing Increasing Decreased Decreased

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NATION 40.2% BANGALORE15.8% CALCUTTA 40.0% CHENNAI 52.0% DELHI 64.7% MUMBAI 76.1%

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NATION (<12 YRS) (>20 = 12.6%)

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2005

(>30 = 2.7%) (>40 =1.3%) THUPPIL ET ALL 1999 TGF

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The Tianneng Battery Factory in Zhejiang Province, China

The site of a violent protest in August 2005 following the discovery of lead poisoning among 700 children residing near the plant. INCHES Vienna June 2007

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LEVELS OF LEAD IN INDIAN MEDICINE               

Name of the brand

Lead Content (ug/g)

Saptamruth Loh Keshar Gulgul Punarvadi Gugul Trifla Gugul Ghasard Bala Goli Kamdu Arogyavardhini Sankavathi Brahmivita Chyanprash Trivanga Bhasma Diabline Bhasma Heptagaurd Deshi Deva

5.12 2.08 1.99 4.18 16,000 25 6.7 63.20 13 27,500 7.3 261.2 37.77 0.4 1200 INCHES Vienna June 2007

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LEVELS OF LEAD IN MIDDLE EAST, ASIAN & AFRICAN MEDICINE Name of the brand use

Lead Content (ug/g) Medicinal

Alkohi

85%

Tropical Medicine

Anzroot

?

Colic, Diarrhea

Cebagin

51%

Teething powder

Henna

?

Hair dye

Bali Goli

?

Stomach ache

Kandu

?

Stomach ache

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LEVELS OF LEAD IN CHINESE MEDICINE Name of the brand

Lead Content (ug/g) Medicinal use

Cordyceps

412-20,000 ug/g

Tropical/herbal Medicine

Poying Tan

7.5 mg/dose

General

Bo Bow Sen

1000mg/g

Hyperactivity

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LEVELS OF LEAD IN MEXICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN MEDICINE Name of the brand

Lead Content (ug/g) Medicinal use

Albayalde or Albayaidle

93%

Vomiting & Colic Apathy & lethargy

Alarcon, azarcon, Coral luiga, Maria luisa, ruida

95%

,,

Greeta

97%

Vomiting and colic

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LEAD POISONING- Treatment 

Chelation – EDTA NEPHROTOXICITY; HYPOCALCEMIA; ALLERGY; HYPOGLYCEMIA ETC. – Penicillamine – BAL – DMSA EXPENSIVE – DMPS – DFO – Suppositories NON INVASIVE/ CHEAP/ SAFE Ted Rozema 1999

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Problem associated with alternate energy sources  PV

solar  Wind mills  Power backup  etc/

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We need a global policy through      

Recognition of the work: 3rd IUCN Seed award given to the work done in India on lead acid battery certification. Support from UNDP and World Bank comes forward towards preparing the lead map of the area. Lead poisoning in 100% preventable: partnering multi stake holders We need to create a lead safe society as lead free society is not possible. Scientists to work outside the four walls of the lab/clinics. Developed countries not to use developing countries as dumping grounds of waste and using them as work-shops for dirty work.

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Frog in a tea pot INCHES VIENNA 2007

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Thanks to

ORGANIZERS OF INCHES FOR PROVIDING THE TOTAL SUPPORT FOR MY PARTICIPATION

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