Child Labour and Health Hazards: Chemical Exposure and

1,46
MB Occupational Injuries in Nicaraguan Children Working in a Waste

157
stron Disposal Site

5546
ID Lund University

2007
rok

Contents

Contents.5

Abbreviations7

List of papers 9

Introduction .10

Child labour in figures 10

Working at waste disposal sites10

Health hazards in child workers at waste disposal site11

Chemical exposures .11

Heavy metals12

Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) 13

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)16

Injuries at the work place.17

Aims of the thesis .18

Area description19

Managua waste disposal site 19

Material and methods.20

Study populations .20

Non-participants.21

Data collection21

Interviews 21

Background questionnaire (Paper I, II, III and IV) 21

Injury questionnaire (Paper IV)22

Blood Sampling .22

Soil sampling .22

Chemical analysis 23

Determination of metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Se and Fe) in blood .23

Determination of metals in soil23

Determination of persistent organochlorine pollutants and PBDEs in serum.23

Data analysis .26

Paper I .26

Paper II and III26

Paper IV 26

Injury risk estimation .26

Classification of work related injuries (WRIs) 27

Ethical approval 27

Results and comments 28

Paper I 28

Blood levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, and selenium28

Mercury and fish consumption from lake Xolotlán29

Investigating sources of lead contamination.29

Paper II .32

Exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) 32

Paper III34

Exposure to PBDEs .34

Paper IV36

Injury occurrence.36

Injury classes (typology).37

General discussion 38

Methodological issues .38

Selection 38

Selected subjects for POPs and PBDEs analysis39

Non-participants .39

Information .40

Chemical exposure – findings and implications.40

The waste disposal site: a source of lead contamination .40

Organochlorine pesticides: Is there still an ongoing exposure to DDT/DDE?41

Exposure to traditional POPs and emerging persistent organohalogen pollutants.42

The need for integrated risk assessment .43

Injuries – findings and implications 43

Concluding remarks and issues for further research and actions .45

Funding46

Acknowledgements.47

Populärvetenskaplig sammanfattning51

Resumen en español .53

References.57