Examination of Lead and Cadmium in Water-based Paints Marketed in Nigeria.

Background: In spite of the availability of substitutes for lead and cadmium compounds in paints, manufacturers continue to produce paints with high levels of these metals. As the population continues to grow and there is a continued shift from oil-based to water-based paints, the sales and use of these paints will increase the exposure of humans and the environment to these metals.

Objectives: We measured the levels of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in 174 paint samples marketed in Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria.