AN EVALUATION OF UNLEADED PETROL AS A HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY FOR PETROL SNIFFERS IN AN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY

Objective: In mid 1989, leaded petrol was replaced by unleaded petrol to reduce lead toxicity in petrol sniffers in Maningrida, a remote Abo riginal community in Northern Australia. Retrospective Reviews: Hospit al admissions between 1987 and 1992 due to petrol sniffing were compar ed for Maningrida and a community using only leaded petrol. Results: A dmissions from Maningrida decreased significantly following introducti on of unleaded petrol (chi(2) on 2df = 22.25, p < 0.001). Lead and hyd rocarbon exposures were also compared for three groups from Maningrida (27 sniffers using only unleaded petrol; 15 exsniffers and 13 nonsnif fers) and 24 individuals admitted to hospital for petrol sniffing rela ted illness from other communities using only leaded petrol. Median bl ood lead levels for hospitalized sniffers (using only leaded petrol), Maningrida sniffers (using only unleaded petrol), exsniffers and nonsn iffers were 5.06, 1.87, 1.24 and 0.17 mu M/L respectively. There were significant differences between blood lend level, delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin for sn iffers of leaded and unleaded petrol, whereas these indices were not s ignificantly different for current sniffers and exsniffers in Maningri da. Hydrocarbons were only detectable in the blood of active sniffers (toluene less than or equal to 0.5 mu g/mL; benzene less than or equal to 0.17 mu g/mL blood; n-hexane not detected). Conclusions: The elimi nation of tetraethyl lead from petrol resulted in a significant decrea se in hospitalization of petrol sniffers.