Amalia Laborde

Children's health in Latin America: the influence of environmental exposures

Background Chronic diseases are increasing among children in Latin America. Objective and Methods To examine environmental risk factors for chronic disease in Latin American children and to develop a strategic initiative for control of these exposures, the World Health Organization (WHO) including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Collegium Ramazzini, and Latin American scientists reviewed regional and relevant global data. Results Industrial development and urbanization are proceeding rapidly in Latin America, and environmental pollution has become widespread. Environmental threats to children’s health include traditional hazards such as indoor air pollution and drinking-water contamination; the newer hazards of urban air pollution; toxic chemicals such as lead, asbestos, mercury, arsenic, and pesticides; hazardous and electronic waste; and climate change. The mix of traditional and modern hazards varies greatly across and within countries reflecting industrialization, urbanization, and socioeconomic forces. Conclusions To control environmental threats to children’s health in Latin America, WHO, including PAHO, will focus on the most highly prevalent and serious hazards—indoor and outdoor air pollution, water pollution, and toxic chemicals. Strategies for controlling these hazards include developing tracking data on regional trends in children’s environmental health (CEH), building a network of Collaborating Centres, promoting biomedical research in CEH, building regional capacity, supporting development of evidence-based prevention policies, studying the economic costs of chronic diseases in children, and developing platforms for dialogue with relevant stakeholders. Citation Laborde A, Tomasina F, Bianchi F, Bruné MN, Buka I, Comba P, Corra L, Cori L, Duffert CM, Harari R, Iavarone I, McDiarmid MA, Gray KA, Sly PD, Soares A, Suk WA, Landrigan PJ. 2015. Children’s health in Latin America: the influence of environmental exposures. Environ Health Perspect 123:201–209; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408292

E-Waste Informal Recycling: An Emerging Source of Lead Exposure in South America

BACKGROUND Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling creates exposures to several hazardous substances including lead. In Uruguay, primitive recycling procedures are a significant source of lead exposure. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine lead exposure in blood lead levels (BLLs) in low-income children exposed to lead through burning cables. METHODS A sample of children and adolescents exposed to lead through burning cable activities were assessed at the Department of Toxicology in Montevideo, Uruguay, between 2010 and 2014. Soil lead levels of residences were taken shortly after their assessment. FINDINGS The final sample included 69 children and adolescents (mean age 7.89 years). More than 66% of participants had an additional source of lead exposure—manual gathering of metals—and <5% were exposed to lead through landfills or paint. Average BLLs at first consultation were 9.19 ug/dL and lower at the second measurement (5.86 μg/dL). Data from soil lead levels ranged from 650 to 19,000 mg of lead/kg of soil. The interventions conducted after the assessment included family education in the clinic and at home, indoor and outdoor remediation. We found a decrease in BLLs of 6.96 μg/dL. Older children had lower BLLs (r = −0.24; P =0.05). Statistical analyses also showed that children living in areas with higher soil lead levels had significantly higher BLLs (r = 0.50; P < 0.01). Additionally, we found greater BLLs from burning cable activities when children had been exposed to lead-based paint (r = 0.23; P < 0.1). CONCLUSION Among children exposed to e-waste recycling, the most common additional source of lead exposure was the manual gathering of metals. The average BLL among children and adolescents in this study is higher than the BLLs currently suggested in medical intervention. Future research should focus on exploring effective interventions to reduce lead exposure among this vulnerable group.

Vigilancia de la exposición a radiaciones ionizantes en el personal universitario de la salud

Introduccion El programa de vigilancia de exposicion a radiaciones ionizantes en el ambiente laboral involucra las dosimetrias personales de los trabajadores y su evaluacion comparativa con los valores de referencia, lo que permite priorizar, y por lo tanto, tomar acciones de prevencion eficaces. Objetivos Presentar los resultados del programa de vigilancia en salud ocupacional de los trabajadores universitarios expuestos a radiaciones ionizantes durante el periodo 2003-2006. Metodos Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo longitudinal. Los datos dosimetricos fueron obtenidos de fuentes secundarias, a partir de la base de datos del programa de vigilancia dosimetrica de la Universidad de la Republica. La valoracion de la exposicion se realizo mediante dosimetria de film. Se analizaron los registros de los valores dosimetricos personales en el marco del programa de vigilancia, de los anos 2003, 2004, 2005 y 2006. Resultados Se observaron valores dosimetricos que no superaron los valores de referencia admitidos como maximos anuales. La dosis anual maxima recibida fue de 15,72 milisieverts, correspondiente a las areas de diagnostico y tratamiento especializado del Hospital Universitario. Conclusiones La vigilancia de la exposicion ha permitido orientar el control medico periodico especifico asi como extremar acciones de radioproteccion. En este sentido, el departamento de Salud Ocupacional esta realizando tareas de educacion y difusion del programa para reforzar las medidas de prevencion.