Potential for atmospheric-driven lead paint degradation in the South Coast Air Basin of California.

Exposure to lead in paint or lead residues in house dust and soil is one of the leading environmental risks to the health of children in the United States. Components of photochemical smog can increase the degradation of binders in lead paint, leading to increased release of lead pigment granules to hands in surface contact or for deposition in house dust and soil. This study uses photochemical air quality modeling to map areas susceptible to increased lead paint degradation as a result of photochemical atmospheric pollutants to prioritize areas of concern. Typical air quality episodes in the South Coast Air Basin of California (SoCAB) are modeled for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Results indicate that large areas of the SoCAB were susceptible to atmospheric-driven accelerated lead paint degradation. Inner city urban areas from central Los Angeles to Azusa and most of Orange County had the highest susceptibility to accelerated lead paint degradation, followed by inland locations near the San Bernardino Mountains. This study identifies photochemical oxidant gases as contributors to greater lead release from indoor painted surfaces in urban areas.