Relation between welding fumes exposure and plasma advanced glycation end-products among shipyard workers

Abstract

Background Shipyard workers were exposed to high levels of particulate matters contained metals in welding process. Previous study shows chronic exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles resulted in atherogenesis coupling with pulmonary inflammation, advanced glycation end products, reactive oxygen species. Objective We assessed quantitatively the relationship between urinary metals and plasma AGEs in shipyard workers. Methods The study population, including 74 male shipyard workers and a reference group of 28 administrative workers in the northern Taiwan. We used personal samplers to collect 24 hours PM2.5 exposure samples. The study subjects underwent an interview and a health examination on the next day morning, where blood and urine samples were collected. Urinary metals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Plasma AGEs levels were determined using commercial ELISA kits. Results Using multiple linear regression analysis adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol intake habit, family history of diabetes mellitus, a change in log(AGEs) were statistically significantly related to a unit change in log(cobalt) ( β= 0.12, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.26) and in log(lead) (β= 0.10, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.25), respectively. Conclusion Welding workers in shipyard exposed to high levels of particulate matters contained metals could increase AGEs formation in the body.