Residential Lead Paint Exposure Risk in Jakarta, Indonesia

Background/Aim: Lead has been used as a paint additive since antiquity. Adverse toxicological effects of lead paint exposure were first identified in Brisbane, Australia in the late 19th century, where it is was eventually banned. However these paints continued to be used extensively around the world throughout the 20th century. In 1971, the United States banned the use of residential lead-based paints, followed by similar legislation in other high-income countries. By contrast, lead is still widely used as an additive in enamel paints in many low- and middle-income countries, including Indonesia. Despite this high prevalence, little is known about resulting exposures. This study endeavored to assess the severity of residential lead exposure resulting from paint. Methods: 55 homes, 13 kindergartens and 10 playgrounds were assessed in 6 Jakarta neighborhoods. Of the homes, 12 were high income, 26 were middle income and 17 were low income. Wall, furniture and playground paints were analyzed in-situ with a handheld portable X-Ray Fluorescence instrument (pXRF). Dust samples were collected and analyzed in the US with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). Results: Of the 1013 paint samples analyzed at all locations with the pXRF 3.6% (n=37) were found to be in excess of the USEPA action level of 1 mg/cm2 (range=1.01-7.25; median=2.38). No soil samples exceeded the USEPA recommended level of 400 mg/kg for bare residential soil were children play. At the time of writing, dust samples were being analyzed with FAAS. Conclusions: Preliminary results indicate that despite a high prevalence of lead use in decorative enamel paints in Indonesia, exposures are likely limited.