Nilima N. Dongre

Occupational lead exposure in battery manufacturing workers, silver jewelry workers, and spray painters in western Maharashtra (India): effect on liver and kidney function

We studied liver and kidney function tests of occupational lead exposed Battery Manufacturing Workers (BMW) (n = 30), Silver Jewelry Workers (SJW) (n = 30), and Spray Painters (SP) (n = 35) and normal healthy subjects (n = 35), all 20 to 40 years of age, in Western Maharashtra (India). Venous blood and random urine samples were collected from all groups. The blood lead (Pb-B) and urinary lead (Pb-U) levels were significantly increased in all experimental groups, except urinary lead excretion in SJW as compared with the controls. Liver functions tests parameters (serum transaminase enzymes SGOT, AST, SGPT, ALT) activities were significantly increased only in SP; no alteration was noticed in BMW and SJW as compared with the control group. Serum total protein levels were significantly decreased in all three experimental groups as compared with control subjects. Serum albumin concentrations were significantly decreased in SJW, SP, and increased in BMW. The serum globulin levels, however, were significantly decreased, and the albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio was increased in BMW and SJW as compared with the control. The bilirubin level was significantly increased only in BMW. Blood urea was significantly increased only in BMW, and blood urea and serum uric acid were decreased in SJW. The serum creatinine level was not significantly altered in any experimental groups. Increased Pb-B values in all experimental groups indicate the greater rate of lead absorption and impairment of liver and kidney functions in all three types of occupational lead-exposed workers of Western Maharashtra (India).

Biochemical aspects of lead exposure in silver jewelry workers in western Maharashtra (India).

This study was conducted to examine the effect of blood lead (Lead) on heme biosynthesis, the hematopoietic system, oxidative stress, and antioxidant status of silver jewelry workers (SJW) in western Maharastra (India). The blood lead level of the SJW group (N = 30) was in the range of 30.2-64.7 microg dL(-1) (mean +/- SD, 48.56 +/- 7.39 microg dL(-1)), whereas that of non-occupational Lead-exposed normal healthy control subjects (N = 35) was 2.8-22.0 microg dL(-1) (mean +/- SD, 12.52 +/- 4.08 microg dL(-1)). Although the blood lead level of the SJW group increased significantly (p < 0.001) when compared with the control group, the urinary excretion of lead in the SJW group was not altered. In the SJW group, non-activated delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity significantly decreased (p < 0.05), and the ratio of activated/non-activated ALAD increased when compared with controls (p < 0.001), whereas activated ALAD activity was not altered significantly. Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) was not altered in SJW. The urinary excretion of delta-amino-levulinic acid (p < 0.001) and porpobilinogen (p < 0.05) of the SJW group increased significantly when compared with controls. Hematology parameters, such as the packed cell volume (p < .001) and total erythrocyte count (p < 0.05) significantly decreased, whereas the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p <.001) and total white blood cell count (p < .001) increased in the SJW group in comparison with controls. The serum malondialdehyde content significantly increased (p < .001), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes erythrocyte-SOD (p < .001), erythrocyte catalase (p < .05), and plasma ceruloplasmin (p < .001) significantly decreased in the SJW group compared with the controls. The results of the study clearly show an alteration of heme biosynthesis and cellular impairment of the pro-oxidants/antioxidants balance, resulting in oxidative damage in the silver jewelry workers group in western Maharashtra (India).