Lipid profiles with increase blood lead level: Risk of cardiovascular disease in battery workers of Lucknow City.

In order to investigate the effects of lead exposure on risk of cardiovascular disease during Occupational battery workers i.e. lead exposure, plasma cholesterol and its fractions as high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride (T.G.) were determined in various battery workers in Lucknow city U.P., India. Increased risk of cardiovascular disease was observed in the various battery workers. Total cholesterol in the battery workers and control group was 142.14±31.92 (mg/dl) and 95.72±11.57 (mg/dl) respectively, which is higher in the battery workers than that of present in control group, While LDL cholesterol in the battery workers and control group was 158.30±22.70 (mg/dl) and 103.77± 4.62 (mg/dl) respectively. HDL cholesterol in the battery workers and control group was 38.80±10.13 (mg/dl) and 65.53±6.52 (mg/dl) respectively. The triglyceride levels were 162.06±90.85 (mg/dl) and 138.62±5.65 (mg/dl) in the battery workers and control group respectively, which is not affected [p > 0.05]. The LDL/HDL and Total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, Blood pressure, and blood lead level, was also higher in the battery workers, Results suggest that lead exposure increases cholesterol synthesis and transport to peripheral tissues whereas reverse cholesterol transport to the liver is not affected.

Assessment of urban air pollution and it’s probable health impact.

The present study deals with the quantitative effect of vehicular emission on ambient air quality during May, 2006 in urban area of Lucknow city. In this study, SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx and 7 trace metals associated with RSPM were estimated at 10 representative locations in urban area and one village area for control. Beside this, air quality index (AQI), health effects of different metals and mortality were assessed. The 24 hr average concentration of SPM, RSPM, SO2 and NOx was found to be 382.3, 171.5, 24.3 and 33.8 μg m-3 respectively in urban area and these concentrations were found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher by 94.8, 134.8, 107.4 and 129.6% than control site respectively. The 24 hr mean of SPM and RSPM at each location of urban area were found to be higher than prescribed limit of National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) except SPM for industrial area. The 24 hr mean concentration of metals associated with RSPM was found to be higher than the control site by 52.3, 271.8, 408.9, 75.81, 62.7, 487.54 and 189.5 % for Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Mn and Cr respectively. The inter correlation of metals Pb with Mn, Fe and Cr; Zn with Ni and Cr; Ni with Cr; Mn with Fe and Cu with Cr showed significant positive relation either at p<0.05 or p<0.01 level. Metals Pb, Mn and Cr (p<0.01) and Cu (p<0.05) showed significant positive correlation with RSPM. These results indicate that ambient air quality in the urban area is affected adversely due to emission and accumulation of SPM, RSPM, SO 2 , NO x and trace metals. These pollutants may pose detrimental effect on human health, as exposure of these are associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, neurological impairments, increased risk of preterm birth and even mortality and morbidity.

Role of iron and copper during benzene toxicity.

Role of transition metal ions in expression of benzene toxicity has been suggested. Intraperitoneal administration of benzene to female albino rats daily for 10 days resulted in accumulation of iron in liver nuclei, without any change in copper content. Incubation of hydroquinone (HQ), one of the principal metabolites of benzene with rat liver nuclei resulted in formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBAR). However, presence of bathocuproine, a copper chelator and EDTA, an iron chelator caused significant inhibition of TBAR release. Thus, the present study revealed that iron accumulation and involvement of copper in nuclear damage induced by HQ.

Aluminum ingestion alters behaviour and some neurochemicals in rats.

Effect of aluminum (Al) has been investigated on the brain of rats exposed to this metal (500 mg Al/liter in drinking water) daily for 180 days. A significant reduction in the spontaneous locomotor activity was noticed after 90 and 180 days of Al exposure to the rats, the magnitude of the change being almost identical at both the time intervals. Aluminum exposure also produced significant deficits in acquisition and retention of learned response in active avoidance situation, these changes being time dependent. A significant retardation of the extinction of the learned task was noted in Al exposed rats especially at 180 days. There was significant increase in the lipid peroxidation and decrease in the activity of Mg(2+)-ATPase and Na+,K(+)-ATPase in the brain of rats at 180 days after Al exposure. The increase in the contents of the metal was maximum in rest of the brain region (87% of control) followed by hippocampus and cerebral cortex (59% of controls), cerebellum and corpus striatum (43% and 44% of controls, respectively) after 180 days. Whether Al is responsible to initiate neurotoxic effects by producing changes in the structure and function of the plasma membrane needs further investigations.