URINARY-EXCRETION OF LEAD AND DELTA-AMINOLEVULINIC-ACID IN WORKERS OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED TO TETRAETHYL LEAD

Forty-nine refinery workers and 50 motor mechanics were selected and e xamined for total lead (PbT), inorganic lead (PbI), and delta-aminolev ulinic acid (ALA) in urine. The worker groups were exposed to tetraeth yl lead (TEL) mainly by inhalation, but motor mechanics received addit ional exposure by skin because of hand cleansing with gasoline. The le vels of urinary ALA (ALA-U) and urinary PbT (PbT-U) in refinery worker s and motor mechanics were found to be significantly higher than the c ontrol group (p < 0.05). The correlation between the ALA-U and PbT-U w as found significant in both worker groups (p < 0.001); however, relat ively higher positive correlation was found between ALA-U and urinary inorganic lead (PbI-U) in TEL-exposed workers.