Lead exposure in highway toll-booth workers
Hursidić-Radulović, A.; Cvitković, J.
Arhiv Za Higijenu Rada i Toksikologiju 54(2): 133-140
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-1254 PMID: 14679664 Document Number: 556604
Biomarkers of lead exposure (blood lead, BPb) and effect (erythrocyte protoporhyrin, EP, and activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, ALAD) were measured in 68 male toll-booth operators (aged 22-60 years) on the Zagreb-Karlovac motorway. Average values (arithmetic mean +/- standard deviation) were: 61.8 +/- 29.3 micrograms/L for BPb, 0.70 +/- 0.20 mumol/L erythrocytes for EP, and 50.6 +/- 9.8 U/L erythrocytes for ALAD. All were within the normal range determined for general population (BPb < 150 micrograms/L, EP < 1.62 mumol/L erythrocytes, and ALAD > 35 U/L erythrocytes). A significant positive correlation was found between BPb and EP (r = 0.367, P < 0.01) and an inverse correlation between BPb and ALAD (r = -0.271, P < 0.05) and for EP and ALAD (r = -0.381, P < 0.01). Significant correlations were found between BPb or ALAD and smoking index (r = 0.486, P < 0.01, and r = -0.322, P < 0.01, respectively), whereas BPb also significantly correlated with blood gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity, which may indicate hepatotoxic effect of alcohol consumption (r = 0.334, P < 0.01). Among standard spirometric tests, BPb inversely correlated with FEV1 (r = -0.251, P < 0.05) and Tiffenau index (r = -0.280, P < 0.05), whereas ALAD positively correlated with FEF75-85 (r = 0.261, P < 0.05) and Tiffenau index (r = 0.314, P < 0.01). Among standard hematologic tests, BPb positively correlated with MCV (r = 0.282, P < 0.05), EP inversely correlated with erythrocyte count (r = -0.253, P < 0.05), and ALAD positively correlated with MCHC (r = 0.306, P < 0.05) and inversely with MCV (r = -0.250, P < 0.05). Although PbB values in these workers are within occupational exposure limits, they are higher than in corresponding occupations in developed countries. This may be explained by greater exposure to lead in ambient air, tobacco (through mainstream and sidestream smoking) and alcohol in this population.