Study of some biological markers of stress in nail industry.

The aim of this study was to investigate the different markers of stress in nail industry. Blood and urine biological samples were collected from 30 exposed workers and 30 age and sex matched control subjects from the administrative department of the same factory. The total antioxidant activity (Dmax) and lipid peroxidation was analyzed in blood. The level of catecholamines in the urine was also determined The median level of Dmaxwas significantly lower in the exposed workers (87.12) compared with that of the control (115.85) (p < 0.01). Also the level of lipid peroxidation was significantly lower in the exposed workers (44.5) compared with that of the control (74.0) (p < 0.01). The median level of urinary catecholamines was significantly higher in the exposed workers (295) compared with that of controls (37.5). Attention should be paid to the necessity of the application of the different biological markers of stress in different sectors of industry especially in nail industry.

Respiratory enzymatic changes among workers in glue industries.

The aim of this study was to investigate the respiratory enzymatic changes among workers in glue industries. Blood and urine samples were collected from 30 exposed workers and 30 age and sex matched control subject from the administrative department of the same factory. Different respiratory enzymes were analyzed in blood. The level of urinary phenol was also determined. The median level of different respiratory enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and carbonic unhydrase) were significantly higher in the exposed workers compared to control subjects. Also the median level of urinary phenol was significantly higher in exposed workers compared with that of controls. Attention should be paid to the different occupational health hazard, existing in different types of glue industries.

Assessment of antisperm antibody in sera of mercury and lead exposed workers.

Occupational exposure to lead or mercury was found to make protein better antigens. The production of autoantibodies to nervous system protein is one example of such effect. The present study aims to detect the possibility of induction of antisperm autoantibodies due to occupational exposure to lead or mercury. Male workers exposed to lead (n = 50) or to mercury (n = 39) were selected for this purpose and compared to a matched control group (n = 39). A negative control consisting of 17 females was also included. All subjects had two or more children. Blood samples were collected and the ELISA technique was applied to detect antisperm antibodies. Also, the levels of lead in blood and mercury in urine were determined as biological indices of exposure. Antisperm antibodies were detected in 90% of workers exposed to lead with the predominance of the IgG type and 84.6% of workers exposed to mercury with the predominance of the IgM type. Although the results did not correlate with the biological indices of exposure, it seems advisable to use the detection of sperm antibodies of sera of workers exposed to metals as a biological monitoring tool.

Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to benzene and toluene.

This study was carried out to evaluate the biological monitoring of occupational exposure to benzene and toluene in a total number of 31 male exposed workers and 30 control subjects. The present study showed a statistically significant higher level of biological indices of exposure (p < 0.01) of phenol and hippuric acid in urine of workers exposed to benzene and toluene than control subjects. Significant changes (p < 0.05, 0.01) in the levels of hematological and biochemical findings have been observed among exposed workers and control group. In addition, statistically significant higher levels of Mg, Mn and Ca were found among workers exposed to benzene and toluene while statistically significant lower levels of serum iron (p < 0.05) have been observed. No significant variations could be detected in the level of Zn and Cu between exposed and control subjects.

Somatic cell mutation in workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapors.

Somatic cell mutation in human peripheral lymphocytes is one of the tools used recently in the biological monitoring of the work environment. The scope of this review was to test whether biomonitoring methods are sensitive to the presence of mercury (Hg) in the body. We used the following techniques: micronucleus frequency (MN), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), and hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) assay in human lymphocytes. A total number of 30 male workers exposed to Hg vapors in chloralkali industry had been selected and compared with 30 control subjects. The concentration of mercury in urine (HgU) was used as a biological index of exposure. The exposed group showed higher levels of MN (32.0 +/- 1.7), SCE (7.3 +/- 0.2),and HGPRT mutations (0.94 +/- 0.01) then the nonexposed controls. We recommend the introduction of somatic cell mutation analysis in the periodic medical examination of workers exposed to Hg vapors.