Abstract
Additives in petroleum solvents have been reported to have adverse health implications. An evaluation study on some toxicological effects of occupational exposure to petroleum products (especially petrol which contains tetraethyl lead) amongst twenty five occupationally exposed artisans and twenty five graduate students of College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Nigeria as controls, was carried out using the following biochemical markers: electrolytes, urea, uric acid, inorganic phosphorus, creatinine, zinc and blood lead, as well as the activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, and alkaline phosphatase. The results showed that occupational exposure of human subjects to lead in petrol increases the concentrations of uric acid (357 +/- 123micro mol/L) and phosphate (1.5 +/- 0.5m mol/L) in exposed subjects compared with unexposed subjects (uric acid 228 +/- 105micro mol/L, phosphate 1.2 +/- 0.41m mol/L; p < 0.01 in both cases). Significantly lower activities were observed for alkaline phosphatase (66 +/- 18.9 iu/L). The activities of alanine aminotransferase (11.4 +/- 4.0 iu/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (15.8 +/- 4.4 iu/L) in occupationally exposed artisans were higher compared with unexposed subjects (alkaline phosphatase = 78 +/- 22.4 iu/L alanine aminotranferase = 6.8 +/- 2.7 iu/L, aspartate aminotranferase = 9.6 +/- 3.5i u+/-L; p < 0.01 in all cases). Occupational exposure of human subjects to lead significantly increased blood lead (59.6 +/- 15.9 microg/dL) and decreased plasma zinc (71.3 +/- 14.4 microg/L) in exposed compared with unexposed subjects (blood lead = 35 +/- 7 microg/dL, zinc = 108.4 +/- 16.9 microg/dL; p < 0.01). The results indicate that occupational exposure to lead in petrol may compromise liver and renal function.
Highlights
Many compounds such as industrial, agricultural and other environmental chemicals, naturally occurring substances and drugs, adversely affect the kidney
The mean blood lead levels in all occupationally exposed human subjects were significantly (p < 0.05) higher compared with unexposed subjects (Table 3)
The study investigated the effect of lead exposure on selected markers of renal and liver function artisans in mechanic villages in Nnewi, Nigeria
Summary
Many compounds such as industrial, agricultural and other environmental chemicals, naturally occurring substances and drugs, adversely affect the kidney. Lead is a toxic metal that is not essential for nutrition [1]. Lead is one of the most widespread potential chemical contaminants in the environment and may be transferred to man through food [2]. The level of lead in the environment increases proportionately with the level of most useful metals in industry, it has no known biologic function in both animals and man [3]. Nnewi, where this study was done, is a fast growing city in Anambra state, South-Eastern Nigeria. High soil lead levels above 600 ppm have been reported in most of the areas around industries [4]
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