1st International KAMPAI Symposium
Sustainable Management of Resources and Environment in the 21st Century

CURRENT TRENDS OF BLOOD LEAD
LEVELS IN KABWE, ZAMBIA
Yared Beyene Yohannes, Yabe J, Nakayama SMM, Haruya T, Nakata H, Kaampwe M, Kataba A, Zyambo G,
Mizukawa H, Ikenaka Y, Russell D, Jack C & Ishizuka M
Laboratory of Toxicology

November 6th, 2017

KAbwe Mining Pollution Amelioration Initiative

1

Visualization of impact of chronic/latent chemical hazard & Geo-Ecological Remediation in Zambia

Output 1: Monitoring and risk assessment in Kabwe mining area (and geo-ecologicalsurveillance of broad areas in Zambia)

Output 2: Establishment of economic assessment system for human/animal health andecosystem and visualization

Output 3: Development of geo-ecological database and remediation technology

Output 4: Capacity building Background2

Lead (Pb) Low concentrations in the earth’s crust, but widespread in theenvironment as a result of anthropogenic activity.
 No known biological role in humans.
 With the highest burden in developing countries?
Clune Al et al.
J H&P 2011 (2):14-23

Map of children’s average BLL (from 2000 to 2010)

Dr. William S. Clark

Toxicokinetics of lead: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion
Gastrointestinal orpulmonary absorption

3A

Pb enters the bloodstream

Distributed in the central andperipheral nervous, renal,
reproductive, hematopoietic
musculoskeletal, and otherorgan systems.

Excreted primarily in urineDM

Binds to sulfhydryl andcarboxyl groups of proteins,thereby altering theirstructure or function
EToxicityToxic Effects of Lead
 Neurological and Developmental Effects
 Affect the brain by multiple mechanisms▪ Act as a surrogate for calcium and/or disrupt calcium homeostasis▪ A 2- to 4-point IQ deficit for each μg/dL increase in BLL

 Hematologic Effects
 Affect HEME synthesis by inhibition of ALAD activity

 Renal Toxicity
 Cause lead nephrotoxicity which lead to renal failure Often damage is not detected until it’s too late4

Most at risk

Pregnant women
CDC reference level = 5g/dL

Developing fetus

Children5

Africa6

Kabwe ➢ Capital of Zambian Central Province➢ 210,000 residents➢Long history of Pb-Zn mining; from 1902 to 1994
Kabwe town is:
Sunday 28 May 2017Black mountain

KABWE IN TOP 10 MOST POLLUTED TOWNSPOST ON: : February 12, 2015

www.worstpolluted.org/projects

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Activities going on around the area…

Illegal miners scavenge for leadon Black MountainChildren scavengers playing at lead contaminated soil

Women and children crush rocks to sell as gravel

Over spill lead contaminated water8

Dakar, Senegal
Mass Lead Intoxicationfrom Used Lead-Acid
Battery Recycling in Dakar,Senegal
EHP volume 117 (10), 2009

Zamfara, Nigeria

Mean BLLs (g/dL)

Pb poisoning incidences…

920016012080
4000-45-12 1-5 years 6-15
months monthsyears

Going for GOLD, and killed by LEAD

over 15years

2010: approximately 400 children died
2015: 27 children diedPb poisoning incidence in Kabwe?

10 It is know that the levels of lead in Kabwe soil is very high.
 Many children are with BLLs at critical and fatal levels.
up to 427 g/dL

There is no any proof of health effect…
 Many diseases either don’t get recorded properly or aremisreported.

 There is no any epidemiological study to prove that lead is
killing children in Kabwe.

The health records are just not there.

 Objectives

11 Measuring the scope of lead contamination in Kabwe communities to characterize thecity’s burden of disease.
 This in turn helps define interventions to mitigate exposures and alleviate adverse
health outcomes.

Big survey
1000 house holds

Blood Urine Fecal Breastmilk

Human Risk assessment
Economical assessment
Neurodevelopment
Quality of life
Intelligence activities

FatherMother< 4 yearsold 4 years
old





 Sampling site 40 Standard Enumeration Areas (SEAs)

12 Sampling & Analysis

13Blood samples were collected from: 40 Standard Enumeration Areas (SEAs)
 13 clinics
Father About 1270 participants

N217

MotherElder child

Younger child

421

323

309

Pb analysis

Venous blood
Collected at each health centersby laboratory technicians
July-August, 2017

➢ Ethical clearance approved by MOH)
➢ Written informed consent obtained from parents

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Dust emanating from the dump

Illegal mining

Playing on lead contaminated soil
Courtesy - Larry C Price

Pb2+Pica

Placental transfer

Breast feeding Future perspectives…

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1. Lead can pass the Brain Blood Barrier (BBB)
Pb

Neurotoxic effectvs2. Lead can pass to the placenta
Early exposure of Pbvs

Neurodevelopment &Epigenetics

3. Lead can in inhibit the activity of different enzymes like the ALAD in ourbody
Environmental exposure of Pb

vsMolecular & Biological effectAcknowledgments





Kabwe communities
ChildrenFamilies
Zambia Ministry of Health
Health centers
Government offices

Zikomo16