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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Lih-Ming Yiin, PhD, Sulaiman Sannoh, MD, and George Rhoads, MD, MPH. UMDNJ-School of Public Health, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd, EOHSI 234, Piscataway, NJ 08854, (732)445-6942, yiinlm@umdnj.edu
Renovation and remodeling (R&R) activities in old houses that have lead-based paint can generate and spread large amounts of lead-containing particles throughout the residences. Without appropriate post-activity cleaning, R&R generated lead dust can be hazardous to occupants, especially to preschool children. The current cleaning method, recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), uses a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered vacuum cleaner and trisodium phosphate (TSP) cleaning solution. A previous study has shown that a simplified method using a household vacuum cleaner and a household detergent can be as effective as the HUD recommended method in reducing dust lead levels on hard surfaces. This study compared the HUD method and the simplified method in cleaning homes after R&R activities. There were 40 homes in the northern New Jersey being enrolled in the study. Upon recruitment baseline dust lead measurements on selected hard surfaces (floors and windowsills) were collected using wet towelette wipes. After baseline environmental sampling, homes were randomly assigned to one of the two cleaning protocols. Both the two protocols were performed following a sequence of vacuuming, wet mopping and repeat vacuuming. Areas adjacent to the original sampling sites were sampled after cleaning to test the efficacy of the cleaning regimens as assessed by change in the geometric mean lead loading (µg/ft2). Similar efficacy of the simplified method to that obtained from the previous study is expected. Final results will be presented.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Lead, Environmental Exposures
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.