Field-Calibrated Threshold-Distance Assessment of Lead Dispersion from Controlled Lead-Acid Battery Plate Combustion

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Informal lead-acid battery recycling often involves controlled burning, releasing lead-bearing particulate matter.
• This airborne lead can deposit on surfaces and be absorbed by edible crops, posing a food safety risk.
• Understanding the source-to-receptor pathway is crucial for effective risk mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the environmental dispersion and deposition of lead particulate matter from controlled battery plate burning.
• To assess the accumulation of lead in edible crops (red amaranth) under field conditions.
• To establish a scientifically-based setback distance recommendation for agricultural activities near battery burning sites.

Main Methods:

• Field study in Kushtia, Bangladesh, using a triangular sampling grid up to 45m from the source.
• Monitoring of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in the air.
• Measurement of passive lead (Pb) deposition on filter papers and lead accumulation in red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.).

Main Results:

• Strong distance-dependent gradients were observed for PM, Pb deposition, and crop Pb accumulation (p < 0.0001).
• PM2.5 showed the strongest association with filter-paper deposition and crop accumulation within the sampled range.
• Atmospheric deposition was confirmed as the dominant exposure pathway, with background levels below detection limits.

Conclusions:

• A 50m setback distance is recommended as a precautionary measure to minimize food safety risks from lead contamination.
• The study provides a mechanistic basis for planning setbacks around informal battery recycling operations.
• Findings highlight the significant risk of lead transfer to edible crops via atmospheric deposition.