Background: The role of lead (Pb) as an environmental cause of nephropathy is difficult to ascertain due to the difficulty to determine clinically its exposure. Aim: To assess lead levels and renal function in a group of males working in mechanical workshops. Material and Methods: Blood and urine samples were obtained from 100 mechanical workshop workers aged 38 +/- 16 years and 95 non-exposed office clerks aged 37 +/- 17 years. Blood lead and creatinine levels were determined. In exposed workers, urinary excretion of intestinal alkaline phosphatases (IAP) and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) were measured as early markers of renal failure. Results: Blood lead levels were 66.4 +/- 43 and 33.6 +/- 18 mu g/L among mechanical workshop workers and non-exposed controls, respectively, p < 0.01. The figures for serum creatinine were 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 0.9 +/- 0.1 respectively, p = NS. Among exposed workers urinary excretion of IAP was 0.47 +/- 0.6 U/L and of NAG, 0.92 +/- 1.1 U/L. There was a positive correlation between blood lead levels and NAG excretion (r = 0.284) and IAP excretion (r = 0.346). Conclusions: Exposed workers had higher blood lead levels and there was a weak positive association between these levels and the urinary excretion of NAG and IAP.