Abstract:
Airborne lead levels were assessed in
nine workshops, three each from battery, elec-
tronic repair, and welding sources within the
Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. Samples were col-
lected at 0, 2.5, and 5.0 m away from the emission
source at the workshops during working hours
and another at 5.0 m during break hours. Air-
borne lead particulates were collected and ana-
lyzed using the filter membrane technique and
flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, re-
spectively. There were significant differences (p≤
0.05) among the air lead levels from the work-
shops. Workshop 3b produced the highest sig-
nificant values of air lead concentrations of
2,820.31 ±53.89, 2,406.74 ±71.87, 754.55 ±72.52,
and 549.01 ±67.30 μg/m3at distances of 0, 2.5,
5.0, and 5.0 m (break-time measurement), re-
spectively, while workshop 1w significantly pro-
duced the lowest air lead concentration values of
261.06 ±21.60, 190.92 ±36.90, 86.43 ±16.26,
and 61.05 ±3.88 μg/m3at distances of 0, 2.5
5.0, and 5.0 m (break-time measurement), respec-
tively. The air lead levels reduced with distance
from emission source at the workshops. At all
the distances of measurement at working hours,
the airborne lead levels were higher than the
World Health Organization standard of 50 μg/m3
and exceeded the threshold limit values of 100
to 150 μg/m3recommended in most jurisdictions.
Workers and people in the immediate environs
were exposed to air lead levels that were too high
by most international standards, thus posing a
serious threat to their health.
Keywords Airborne lead ·Flame atomic
absorption spectrophotometry ·
Filter membrane technique ·Jurisdictions ·
Threshold limit values
