Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
Abstract
U 68 radnika (22-60 godina) na naplatnim stanicama autoceste procjenjivane su koncentracije olova (PbK) i eritrocitnog protoporfirina (EP) te aktivnost dehidrataze δ-aminolevulinske kiseline (D-DALK) u krvi. Dobivene vrijednosti iznosile su (aritmetička sredina±SD): za PbK 61,8±29,3 µg/L, za EP 0,70±0,20 µmol/L eritrocita i za D-DALK 50,6±9,8 U/L eritrocita. To je unutar raspona normalnih vrijednosti za opću populaciju. Nađena je pozitivna korelacija PbK i EP te inverzna korelacija PbK i D-DALK odnosno EP i D-DALK. Vrijednosti PbK i D-DALK značajno su korelirale s indeksom pušenja, a PbK s aktivnošæu γ-glutamil transferaze krvi. Od standardnih spirometrijskih pretraga, PbK je inverzno korelirao s FEV1 i Tiffenauovim indeksom, a D-DALK je pozitivan s FEF75-85 i Tiffenauovim indeksom. Nađene su pozitivne korelacije PbK i MCV, D-DALK i MCHC te inverzne korelacije EP i broja eritrocita odnosno D-DALK i MCV. Vrijednosti PbK nisu visoke za profesionalnu izloženost olovu, ali su više nego u industrijski razvijenim zemljama. Potonje se može povezati s povišenim olovom u zraku i velikom zastupljenošću pušenja cigareta i konzumiranja alkohola u našoj populaciji.Biomarkers of lead exposure (blood lead, BPb) and effect (erythrocyte protoporhyrin, EP, and activity of δ-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 µg/L for BPb, 0.70±0.20 µmol/L erythrocytes for EP, and 50.6±9.8 U/L erythrocytes for ALAD. All were within the normal range determined for general population (BPb35 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 γ-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
