Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Lead Exposure in Children Near Battery Recycling Sites in Ibadan, Oyo State

Informal lead-acid battery recycling is prevalent in urban areas of South West Nigeria and generates environmental lead contamination that poses serious health risks to children living in proximity to recycling sites. This study conducted an environmental health risk assessment of lead exposure among children aged two to ten years residing near informal battery recycling sites in Ibadan, Oyo State. Soil, dust, and blood lead samples were collected from children and their home environments within 300 metres of three recycling sites and from a control area five kilometres distant. Environmental lead concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and blood lead levels were measured at a certified laboratory. Exposure assessment and health risk characterisation followed United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines adapted for Nigerian exposure conditions. Results showed mean soil lead concentrations of 1,840 milligrams per kilogram near recycling sites, exceeding the NESREA soil lead guideline by over six times. Blood lead levels in children near recycling sites averaged 18.4 micrograms per decilitre, compared to 4.7 micrograms per decilitre in control children, with 78 percent of exposed children exceeding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference level. Non-cancer hazard quotients exceeded 1.0 for all exposed children. The study recommends immediate regulatory action to formalise or relocate battery recycling operations, mandatory medical screening for children in affected communities, and soil remediation of residential areas surrounding informal recycling sites. Keywords: lead exposure, battery recycling, environmental health risk, Ibadan, children.