Effects of Heavy Metal Exposure on Shipyard Welders: A Cautionary Note for 8-Hydroxy-2′-Deoxyguanosine

Abstract

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the development of diseases induced by welding fumes. To our knowledge, little information is available on the relationship between multiple heavy metal exposure and oxidative stress in welders. We assessed the relationship between multiple heavy metal exposure and oxidative damage by analyzing 174 nonsmoking male welders in a shipyard. Urinary metals were used as the internal dose of exposure to metals in welding fumes, and urinary 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was used as an oxidative DNA damage marker. The relationship between workers’ metal levels and 8-OHdG was estimated using a multiple linear regression model. The geometric mean levels of urinary chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were considerably higher in welders than in controls. Urinary Cr and Ni were determined as effective predictors of urinary 8-OHdG levels after adjusting for covariates. Oxidative DNA damage was associated with both Cr and Ni of welding fume exposure in shipyard welders (Ln Cr: β = 0.33, 95%C.I. = 0.16–0.49; Ln Ni: β = 0.27, 95%C.I. = 0.12–0.43). In this study, we investigated the significantly positive relationship between urinary metals (especially Cr and Ni) and 8-OHdG in nonsmoking shipyard welders. Moreover, the use of particulate respirators did not reduce metal exposure and oxidative damage. Therefore, we infer that hazard identification for welders should be conducted.

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Urine of Metal Carpentry Workers Can Be Diagnostic for Occupational Exposure to Low Level of Welding Fumes from Associated Metals

“…Welding fumes include several toxic substances, such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb), and also oxidized metal particles of respirable size [1]. Welding fumes have been considered Group 1 human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2017 [2].…”

“…Human exposure to heavy metals, such as Cr, Ni, Cd, and Pb, and to welding fumes may cause the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [1,4]. Oxidatively generated damage to DNA and RNA plays an important role in cancer development, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and pulmonary fibrosis [5,6].…”

Urinary 8-OHdG level is not affected by geography and trace elements in nail of residents of Addis Ababa: It is shaped by interactions between different social factors

“…Collection of urine samples is relatively simple, and non-invasive; it is stored with low biological hazard, no pretreatment is needed prior to storage, only a small volume is required, and 8-OHdG can be detected precisely using HPLC with electrochemical or mass detector or immunochemical assay. Besides, urinary 8-OHdG is not affected by diet or cell turnover [11] , [24] .…”

“…Residents living around Akaki River are exposed to these toxicants as a result of using wastewater for irrigation and ingestion of vegetables grown alongside of the polluted river, and through inhalation and dermal contact pathways [9] , [10] . Since heavy metals are non-degradable, have long half-lifes; and can accumulate in the human body, they undergo redox reactions to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) like hydroxyl radicals (OH • ), superoxide anion (O 2 - ), singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in biological systems [11] . These ROS are capable of disrupting the activity of many proteins involved in reproductive and endocrine systems, altering the patterns of expression of multiple genes, and increasing oxidative DNA damage, lipid peroxidation and other effects [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] .…”

Study of Occupational Chromium, Iron, and Nickel Exposure and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Denmark

“…Occupational exposure to metals, including chromium, iron, and nickel, is often co-occurring in industries involving welding, machinery, pigments, and metal product manufacturing [6]. Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], chromium(III), chromium compounds, and nickel compounds are well-known carcinogens [7], with demonstrated mechanistic impacts on oxidative stress [8,9]. Additionally, excessive iron exposures can impair cellular metabolism and increase subsequent cellular aging and death [10].…”