Lead poisoning from "do-it-yourself" heat guns for removing lead-based paint: Report of two cases

Alf Fischbein; Karl E. Anderson; Shigeru Sassa; Ruth Lilis; Steven Kon; Laszlo Sarkozi; Attallah Kappas

doi:10.1016/0013-9351(81)90170-5

Lead poisoning from "do-it-yourself" heat guns for removing lead-based paint: Report of two cases

Alf Fischbein, Karl E. Anderson, Shigeru Sassa, Ruth Lilis, Steven Kon, Laszlo Sarkozi, Attallah Kappas

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of do-it-yourself heat guns by urban home owners for the removal of old paint from their buildings appears to be increasing. The hot air generated from these home tools is applied on the paint surface and can result in volatilization of lead in the paint being removed and in excessive lead exposure. Two cases of lead poisoning in individuals removing old lead-based paint in this manner are described. The regular occupations of both individuals were unrelated to environmental lead hazards. The recommendation is made that physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion of lead poisoning and other occupational diseases by taking a thorough environmental and occupational history including description of place of residence, hobbies, and part-time jobs, particularly when the patient presents nonspecific central nervous system and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	425-431
Number of pages	7
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	24
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(81)90170-5
State	Published - Apr 1981
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biochemistry
General Environmental Science

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10.1016/0013-9351(81)90170-5

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title = "Lead poisoning from {"}do-it-yourself{"} heat guns for removing lead-based paint: Report of two cases",

abstract = "The use of do-it-yourself heat guns by urban home owners for the removal of old paint from their buildings appears to be increasing. The hot air generated from these home tools is applied on the paint surface and can result in volatilization of lead in the paint being removed and in excessive lead exposure. Two cases of lead poisoning in individuals removing old lead-based paint in this manner are described. The regular occupations of both individuals were unrelated to environmental lead hazards. The recommendation is made that physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion of lead poisoning and other occupational diseases by taking a thorough environmental and occupational history including description of place of residence, hobbies, and part-time jobs, particularly when the patient presents nonspecific central nervous system and gastrointestinal symptoms.",

author = "Alf Fischbein and Anderson, {Karl E.} and Shigeru Sassa and Ruth Lilis and Steven Kon and Laszlo Sarkozi and Attallah Kappas",

note = "Funding Information: {\textquoteright} This study was supported in part by USPHS Grant ES-01055 and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center Grant ES-00928.",

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T2 - Report of two cases

AU - Fischbein, Alf

AU - Anderson, Karl E.

AU - Sassa, Shigeru

AU - Lilis, Ruth

AU - Kon, Steven

AU - Sarkozi, Laszlo

AU - Kappas, Attallah

N1 - Funding Information: ’ This study was supported in part by USPHS Grant ES-01055 and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center Grant ES-00928.

PY - 1981/4

Y1 - 1981/4

N2 - The use of do-it-yourself heat guns by urban home owners for the removal of old paint from their buildings appears to be increasing. The hot air generated from these home tools is applied on the paint surface and can result in volatilization of lead in the paint being removed and in excessive lead exposure. Two cases of lead poisoning in individuals removing old lead-based paint in this manner are described. The regular occupations of both individuals were unrelated to environmental lead hazards. The recommendation is made that physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion of lead poisoning and other occupational diseases by taking a thorough environmental and occupational history including description of place of residence, hobbies, and part-time jobs, particularly when the patient presents nonspecific central nervous system and gastrointestinal symptoms.

AB - The use of do-it-yourself heat guns by urban home owners for the removal of old paint from their buildings appears to be increasing. The hot air generated from these home tools is applied on the paint surface and can result in volatilization of lead in the paint being removed and in excessive lead exposure. Two cases of lead poisoning in individuals removing old lead-based paint in this manner are described. The regular occupations of both individuals were unrelated to environmental lead hazards. The recommendation is made that physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion of lead poisoning and other occupational diseases by taking a thorough environmental and occupational history including description of place of residence, hobbies, and part-time jobs, particularly when the patient presents nonspecific central nervous system and gastrointestinal symptoms.

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Lead poisoning from "do-it-yourself" heat guns for removing lead-based paint: Report of two cases

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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