Mask Protection Against Lead Exposure and Its Correlation with Erythropoiesis in Automotive Body Painters at Ligu District, Semarang, Indonesia

Abstract

Automotive body painters are at risk of excessive lead exposure that may compromise their health. This study examined the protective effects of masks against lead exposure and its correlation with blood profile of automotive body painters at Ligu district, Semarang, Indonesia. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 61 painters at Ligu district, Semarang, Indonesia (mean age 45 years, 100% male). Mask use was categorized into "frequent" and "infrequent". Blood samples were taken to measure lead exposure and haematological parameters (haemoglobin/HGB, erythrocytes/RBC, haematocrit/HCT, mean corpuscular haemoglobin/MCH, mean corpuscular volume/MCV, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration/MCHC). Effectivity of mask use against lead exposure was analysed with Fisher's exact test, while lead exposure and haematopoietic parameters were evaluated with Pearson's correlation tests. Results: There were 26 automotive painters (42.6%) classified as unfrequent mask users, and all of them had high blood lead levels. Most haematopoiesis parameters were in normal range. Workers with infrequent mask use were 1.269 more likely to be exposed to lead compared to those with frequent mask use (CI 95%, 1.082-1.552). Significant associations were found between lead exposure and RBC (p=0.0, r=−0.53), HGB (p=0, r=−0.61), and HCT (p=0.00, r=−0.61). No significant correlations were observed between lead exposure and MCV, MCH, MCHC. Conclusion: Lead exposure was significantly associated with haematological parameters RBC, HGB, and HCT, confirming the effects of prolonged exposure on blood profile. However, mask use provided significant protection against lead exposure in automotive body painters and should be an obligatory gear for workers.

Association between Blood Lead Levels and Heme Synthesis Process in Paint Industry Workers

“…Thus, the BLL detected on the workers who always use PPE (mask) while working is significantly lower than the BLL detected on the workers who occasionally or do not use masks at all while working. Similar result was also stated by Santosa (2022) where the automobile painting workers who never or rarely use mask at work have a higher risk of receiving lead exposure than the workers who always wear mask at work.…”

Blood Profile of Rattus Nurvegicus Exposed to HgCl2 and Received Combination of IR Bagendit Rice Leaves-Infused Water and Young Coconut Water

“…Sulfhydryl groups in metallothionein protein will compete with sulfhydryl in membrane proteins to bind mercury; consequently, no disruption occurs in the membrane integrity. The blood profile results conclude that the combination of coconut water and extract water of IR Bagendit rice leaves could significantly prevent hematopoiesis system disorders, especially erythropoiesis (Santosa et al, 2022). Compared to previous studies, this study has the novelty of combining an antioxidant-containing ingredient with a chelating agent.…”

Blood Lead Exposure and Association With Hepatitis B Core Antibody in the United States: NHANES 2011–2018

“…Although there have been few studies to explain why people with these characteristics had higher blood lead levels, we know that lead exposure is occupational and is associated with poor living conditions ( 28 , 29 ), so we speculate that the participants in this study with higher blood lead levels might have been at a higher risk of lead exposure due to their work and living conditions. For example, people with lower levels of education might be less aware of protection at work ( 30 ). Blood lead levels tended to be lower among participants with higher PIR, but the trend was not as smooth among participants with HBcAb (+) as it was among participants with HBcAb (–).…”