Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Tolerance of Cabbage Butterflies to Urban Pollutants
Published on: August 18, 2023
Imported occupational lead poisoning: report of four cases
Background:
In most industrialized countries, occupational lead poisoning has become increasingly rare, however this metal remains a serious health hazard in the rest of the world.
Report Of Cases:
We observedfour male patients (aged 35 / 54 years) who had suffered recurrent abdominal pain due to recent lead exposure (for 7 to 13 months) in two Chinese battery recycling plants. On their return to Italy, three of them presented normocytic, normochromic anaemia. The diagnosis was confirmed by high lead levels in the blood and urine, decreased erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D), raised erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZP), and elevated urinary excretion of b-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-U) and porphyrins. Chelation with EDTA resulted in increased urinary lead excretion, improvement of the clinical picture, decreased ZP, and progressive normalization of the other lead biomarkers (Pb-B, ALA-D, ALA-U, urinary porphyrins).
Conclusions:
Temporary work in developing countries may result in imported lead poisoning. Differential diagnosis of this unusual condition requires careful medical history collection and specific toxicological analysis. Preventive measures for workers going abroad are needed.
More Related Videos
09:23Removal of Trace Elements by Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles from Uranium In Situ Recovery Bleed Water and Its Effect on Cell Viability
Published on: June 21, 2015
09:36Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an ABSL-4 Laboratory: 4. Medical Imaging Procedures
Published on: October 3, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxidromes: Clinical Features
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...