Evaluation of Lead Exposure in Cooperative Recycling Workers

we report the presence and levels of lead (Pb) in electronic waste collected by recycling cooperatives, and in the collectors' fingernails working at the metropolitan city of Sao Paulo. Impacts of the metal exposure on the behavioural health of the collectors due to their chronic contact with lead and incorrect handling of electronic waste were verified. Lead (Pb) was determined in soils and in fingernails of collectors and cooperative employees. The analyses in cooperatives were conducted using Handheld X-ray Fluorescent (XRF) equipment, and the fingernails were analysed in a laboratory by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS). A socio-behavioural questionnaire was applied to these workers to check if, in some way, the presence of lead in these workplaces interfered in their everyday behaviour. Exploratory and multivariate analyzes were applied to the data with the intention of checking convergence of behavioral variables and establish a regression model for correlation of behavioral parameters with lead levels. Concentrations of lead in situ were found to range from 10 to 10,000 ppm in routine places of such workers, and levels of 11,170-241,000 ppm were detected in electronic materials incorrectly stored on the field. In fingernails, lead amounts were found to range from (0.12 ± 0.04) to (94.13 ± 6.02) ppm. The methodology applied to evaluate the workers' behaviour displayed 40% with anxiety performance and depression, 38% with aggressive habits, 68% suffering from internalizing problems and 52% externalizing problems. [