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Khan K, Room SA, Bacha AUR, Nabi I, Ahmad S, Younas M, Ullah Z, Iqbal A, Alrefaei AF, Almutairi MH, Chang JW, Chi KH. Assessment of heavy metals among auto workers in metropolitan city: a case study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1277182. [PMID: 38026331 PMCID: PMC10662099 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1277182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, heavy metals (HMs) have emerged as a global health concern. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, there is a general lack of awareness regarding the potential health risks associated with HMs pollution among automobile workers. Herein, we investigated the concentration of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) among automobile workers who were occupationally exposed in Mingora City, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Three different automobile groups, i.e., battery recyclers, spray painters, and mechanics were studied in detail. A total of 40 blood samples were collected from automobile workers groups while 10 blood samples were collected as control individuals from different locations in the study area. We investigated heavy metals concentration with a standard method using an atomic absorption spectrometer AAS (PerkinElmer Analyst 700, United States). Based on our findings, the battery recycling group displayed the most elevated Pb levels (5.45 ± 2.11 μg/dL), exceeding those of both the spray painters' group (5.12 ± 1.98 μg/dL) and the mechanics' group (3.79 ± 2.21 μg/dL). This can be attributed to their higher exposure to Pb pollution resulting from the deterioration, dismantling, grinding, or crushing of old batteries. In the context of chromium (Cr) exposure, a similar trend was observed among the battery recycling group, as well as the spray painters and mechanics groups. However, in the case of cadmium (Cd), the mechanics' group exhibited the highest level of exposure (4.45 ± 0.65 μg/dL), surpassing the battery recycling group (1.17 ± 0.45 μg/dL) and the spray painters' group (1.35 ± 0.69 μg/dL), which was attributed to their greater exposure to welding fumes and other activities in their workplace. We believe that our findings will encourage regulatory measures to improve the health of automobile workers. However, further work is needed to determine various health-related issues associated with heavy metal exposure among automobile workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleem Khan
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shahzada Amani Room
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Aziz-Ur-Rahim Bacha
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Iqra Nabi
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shabir Ahmad
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Younas
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zahid Ullah
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Akhtar Iqbal
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Mikhlid H. Almutairi
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jung-Wei Chang
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kai Hsien Chi
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Nduka JK, Kelle HI, Amuka JO. Health risk assessment of cadmium, chromium and nickel from car paint dust from used automobiles at auto-panel workshops in Nigeria. Toxicol Rep 2019; 6:449-456. [PMID: 31193556 PMCID: PMC6536459 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fairly used vehicular importation into Nigeria is reputed to be the highest in Africa. Most modern cars/vehicles are fitted with some electronic, electrical devices and mechanical components that contain heavy metals. Due to prevailing economic hardship and the fact that new vehicles are out of reach of average Nigerians, the vehicles are taken to the automobile workshops for total overhaul and refurbishing. Metal values of soil from all the workshops were higher than that of paint dust matrix, this can be attributed to the fact that as vehicles are repaired and taken away, more are brought into the workshops for repair. For cadmium and chromium, children are marginally at risk of cancer than adult through ingestion, while dermal contact does not pose any serious threat.
Nigeria’s economic problems which inhibited local production has resulted in massive importation of used automobiles. Most of these automobiles need some repairs and reworking, having outlived their lifespan in the manufacturer’s country. This study centers on the human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of cadmium, chromium and nickel exposures from reworking of imported used vehicles. Scraped car paint dusts from 56 Japanese made cars were collected from 8 different panel beating (body works) workshops (A–H) in Southeastern Nigeria. They were homogenized, mixed, divided into fine particles, filtered and digested by standard method. The filtrates were assayed for cadmium, chromium and nickel with atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS, 200A), workshops F and D have the highest concentration (mg/kg) of Cd (3.58 ± 0.02) and (3.36 ± 0.04) and higher than levels in workshops A, B, C, E, G and H. Chromium (mg/kg) in workshops F and G were (2.87 ± 0.04) and (2.95 ± 0.06) and higher than the other workshops. Nickel in workshop A (3.84 ± 0.04) is close to other workshop values. The highest hazard quotients for adults were cadmium in workshops B (1.37E-01), D (1.69E-01), E (1.79E-01) (inhalation), chromium [workshops G (5.45E-02), F (5.29E-02) and C (5.24E-02) inhalation]. Nickel -workshop A (5.9E-03) for children (inhalation). HQ in children through ingestion is cadmium (3.72E-04) workshop F and ingestion- 3.21E-01(workshop F) while nickel is 1.06E-02 (workshop A).The highest cancer risks were in exponents -4,-7 and -8 (adult) and -3, -6 and -9 (children) for workshops A–H through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact, exposures to scrap car paint dust may be of significant public health importance in Nigeria as it can add to body burden of some carcinogenic heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Kanayochukwu Nduka
- Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Research Unit, Pure and Industrial Chemistry Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B. 5025, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Henrietta Ijeoma Kelle
- Department of Pure and Applied Science, Faculty of Sciences National Open University, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Johnpaul Onyenezi Amuka
- Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Research Unit, Pure and Industrial Chemistry Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B. 5025, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
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Kim B, Yoon JH, Choi BS, Shin YC. Exposure assessment suggests exposure to lung cancer carcinogens in a painter working in an automobile bumper shop. Saf Health Work 2013; 4:216-20. [PMID: 24422178 PMCID: PMC3889078 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 09/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A 46-year-old man who had worked as a bumper spray painter in an automobile body shop for 15 years developed lung cancer. The patient was a nonsmoker with no family history of lung cancer. To determine whether the cancer was related to his work environment, we assessed the level of exposure to carcinogens during spray painting, sanding, and heat treatment. The results showed that spray painting with yellow paint increased the concentration of hexavalent chromium in the air to as much as 118.33 μg/m(3). Analysis of the paint bulk materials showed that hexavalent chromium was mostly found in the form of lead chromate. Interestingly, strontium chromate was also detected, and the concentration of strontium chromate increased in line with the brightness of the yellow color. Some paints contained about 1% crystalline silica in the form of quartz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boowook Kim
- Occupational Lung Disease Institute, Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Ansan, Korea
| | - Jin-Ha Yoon
- Occupational Lung Disease Institute, Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Ansan, Korea
- Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byung-Soon Choi
- Occupational Lung Disease Institute, Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, Ansan, Korea
| | - Yong Chul Shin
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
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Tse LA, Yu IS, Au JSK, Qiu H, Wang XR. Silica dust, diesel exhaust, and painting work are the significant occupational risk factors for lung cancer in nonsmoking Chinese men. Br J Cancer 2010; 104:208-13. [PMID: 21102581 PMCID: PMC3039806 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6606006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Few epidemiological studies have explored the associations between occupational exposures and lung cancer in lifelong nonsmoking men. Methods: We obtained lifetime occupational history and other relevant information for 132 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases among nonsmoking Chinese men and 536 nonsmoking community referents. Unconditional multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of lung cancer for specific occupational exposures. Results: Significantly increased lung cancer risk was found for nonsmoking workers occupationally exposed to silica dust (OR=2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11, 6.01), diesel exhaust (OR=3.47, 95% CI: 1.08, 11.14), spray painting (OR=2.81, 95% CI: 1.14, 6.93), and nonspray painting work (OR=2.36, 95% CI: 1.04, 5.37). Silica dust exposure was associated with a significantly increased risk of adenocarcinoma (OR=2.91, 95% CI: 1.10, 7.68). We observed a positive gradient of all lung cancers and of adenocarcinoma with duration of employment for workers exposed to silica dust and spray painting. Conclusion: This study found an increased risk of lung cancer among nonsmoking Chinese men occupationally exposed to silica dust, diesel exhaust, and painting work.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Tse
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 4/F School of Public Health, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., HKSAR, China
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