Study finds high-level lead in household dust

A Delhi based Non-Government Organisation (NGO) in a recent study have found that household dust may be hazardous for the children due to containing high level of lead.

Toxic Link, the NGO on June 04 published its recent study on its official website regarding ‘Dusty toxics: A study on lead in household dust in Delhi’ unveiled that ‘lead’ substance contains on the alarming high levels in household dust, which causes several diseases in Human beings especially in Children.

This study was based on the dust sample collected from floors and windowsills in 57 households in Delhi revealed that 31% of the samples of floor dust and 14% of the windowsill dust samples contained higher levels of lead as per the directed measurement prescribed by US Environment Protection Agency, the study reported.

“The level of lead is considered hazardous for Children and the major source of this lead is paints,” says study.

‘The problem of high levels of lead in house dust is not unique to Delhi, but is common to other cities in India’ claims Toxic Links and suggests to conduct more study across the country on the similar topic to confirm this result.

Children usually ingest these dusts while playing, so it is more dangerous for them, claims study. “The government needs to take immediate action for eradicating the lead substance from all sorts of paints”, as the NGO suggests by adding that government had already banned the selling of leaded petrol in 2000.

Lead is highly toxic heavy metals and not easy to diagnose if exists in the lower level but it even liable for IQ loss and behaviour changes in children, as per World Health Organisation (WHO).

Once ingested, it remains in the body and can affect the blood, brain, nerves and intestine; high level of lead can be fatal too.