Blood Lead Level and its Effects on Occupationally Exposed Workers in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

2 Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

3 Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Abstract

A study on the hazards of lead on environmentally exposed 80 male petrol station attendants and 35
male University students (who are residents of Abeokuta, an urban city in Nigeria) has been
investigated by spectrophotometric analysis of their blood with 5,5 – dithiobis (2–nitrobenzoic acid)
(DTNB) at 412 nm, pH 7.4 and at 370C. DTNB permits the determination of sulfhydryl groups in
simple compounds and has been used to monitor the disappearance of free SH groups in hemoglobin
(Hb). The concentration of lead in the blood of each sample was also determined. The concentration
values ranged from for the petrol station attendants 21.40 to 70.51 μg/dl and 14.23 to 17.65 μg/dl for
the University students who served as the control. The mean values of blood lead concentration were
found to be 41.36±2.71μg/dl for petrol station attendants, while that of the control is 14.31±2.16μg/dl.
The mean blood lead values of the petrol station attendants were significantly higher than that of the
control (P< 0.05). At 370C, the lead-hemoglobin reacted with DTNB resulting in decrease in the
number of sulfhydryl group (ß93 –SH) per hemoglobin molecule. The values range from 3.8 to 5.6 -SH
groups for the petrol attendants and 4.6 – 5.8 -SH groups per tetramer for the control. The mean values
are 4.8±1.67 –SH and 5.5±2.40 groups per Hb molecule for the petrol station attendants and the
University students (control) respectively. This study demonstrates a predominant elevated blood lead
levels in petrol station attendants in Abeokuta City, Nigeria and that atmospheric lead represents a
significant source of human exposure to environmental pollutants in any city. These results also show
differences in the reactivity of sulfhydryl groups in the hemoglobin of this subject population. It is
suggested that these differences arise from the variations in the level of exposure to lead, the
environment of their ß93 sites, age, drinking and feeding habit, smoking status, as well as the level of
education of the subject.s.s

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