Liver and Renal Function Tests in Artisans Occupationally Exposed to Lead in Mechanic Village in Nnewi, Nigeria

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 ± 123µ mol/L) and phosphate (1.5 ± 0.5m mol/L) in exposed subjects compared with unexposed subjects (uric acid 228 ± 105µ 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 µg/dL) and decreased plasma zinc (71.3 ± 14.4 µg/L) in exposed compared with unexposed subjects (blood lead = 35 ± 7 µg/dL, zinc = 108.4 ± 16.9 µg/dL; p < 0.01). The results indicate that occupational exposure to lead in petrol may compromise liver and renal function.

Effect of Air Lead Pollution on Blood Bilirubin and Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels among Occupationally Exposed Workers in Main Sudanese Cities

“…The obtained results of this study were further substantiated by previous studies that were conducted by Mikhail, et al [23,17,10] . Comparison between blood total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and in direct bilirubin concentrations in exposed and control sample in different cities in Sudan is shown in table (4).…”

Microanatomy and histomorphometry analysis of the effects of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> leaf extract on lead-induced kidney damage in adult wistar rats

“…This is in contrast to Dioka et al (2004), who reported that occupational lead exposure did not have any effect on electrolytes, urea and creatinine levels. Plasma urea and creatinine are the most sensitive biochemical markers used in the assessment of renal tissue damage, because urea and creatinine are excreted through the kidneys.…”

“…The albumin level in group F (MO+ Pb) was significantly lower compared to group C (MO), D (Pb) and the control group. The effect of lead exposure on the serum protein levels is controversial; Dioka et al (2004), Pachathundikandi et al (2006), andHerman et al (2009) observed no change in serum albumin level in automobile workers and albino rats exposed to long-term moderate lead concentrations. Histological and histochemical results of this study clearly support earlier reports that, lead has nephrotoxic effect on renal tissue and lead poisoning is associated with oxidative stress in blood and brain tissues (Adewole and Ayoka, 2009).…”

Occupational lead exposure and its effect on human liver functions

“…7 Previous research provides a definite proof that exposure to lead causes significant adverse effects to multiple organ systems like Nervous, Haematological, Renal and Reproductive systems but very few human studies have been conducted to know the effect of lead on liver functions. 8 There is no available data to know the ill-effects of lead on liver functions in Indian scenario. Since liver is the major organs of storage, biotransformation and detoxification of lead we wanted to evaluated the toxic effects of this metal on liver functions.…”