Occupational effect of spray painting fumes on some biochemical parameters in automobile spray painters in Yenagoa Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Automobile spray painters are often prone to chemical toxicity due to their routine work. This study was aimed at the occupational effect of spray painting fumes on some biochemical parameters in automobile spray painters. Five milliliters of blood specimen were collected into lithium heparin anti-coagulated bottles from twenty five automobile spray painters with ≤ 10 years working experience (experimental group one), ≥ 11 years working experience (experimental group two) and non-automobile spray painters which were monitored as control group respectively. After this, plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, urea and creatinine were measured quantitatively using a spectrophotometer. The mean values of all the measured biochemical parameters showed no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in the automobile spray painters with ≤ 10 years working experience as compared with that of the control group with the exception of plasma C-reactive protein, while those with ≥ 11 years working experience showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and C-reactive protein however, the plasma urea and creatinine showed no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). In conclusion, the concentration of plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and C-reactive protein may be altered in automobile spray painters with ≥ 11 years working experience, thus these biochemical parameters should be monitored regularly in spray painters within this category of working experience