Evaluation of Lead and Copper content in hair of workers from oil product distribution companies in Iraq

Serious health consequences can occur not only from acute exposure to environmental toxicants, but also from chronic exposures to minute quantities. Petroleum substances are widely distributed and used in huge amount, mainly as fuels. A total number of 45 males aged between 20 and 45 years participated in this study. The participants were divided in to two groups: The first group of 25 subjects worked at least 8hours/day in different oil product distribution companies in both Basrah and Thiqar Governorates-Iraq. The second group (control group) of 20 healthy individuals with age and weight matched with the test group and lived far away from hazardous exposure. Heavy metals levels in hair were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism (version 6.0). Higher levels of lead and cupper were observed in the hair of subjects working in different oil product distribution companies compared to control group. Heavy metals evaluation in hair samples could be used as a good bioindicator of heavy metal exposure in occupational and environmental surveys for various populations for screening for heavy metals toxicity. In the present study high levels of heavy metals were observed in workers at different oil product distribution companies in Iraq.

不仅急性暴露于环境毒物可引发严重健康后果，长期接触微量毒物同样会导致严重健康损害。石油类物质分布广泛且被大量使用，主要用作燃料。本研究共招募45名年龄介于20至45岁的男性受试者，将其分为两组：第一组共25名受试者，每日至少在伊拉克巴士拉省与济加尔省的多家石油产品分销公司工作8小时以上；第二组为对照组，共20名健康个体，其年龄与体重与试验组匹配，且居住环境远离有害暴露源。采用原子吸收分光光度计（Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer）检测受试者头发中的重金属水平，使用GraphPad Prism（6.0版本）进行统计学分析。与对照组相比，石油产品分销公司工作人员头发中的铅与铜水平显著升高。头发样本的重金属检测可作为优质生物标志物，用于各类人群的职业与环境暴露调查，以筛查重金属暴露相关毒性风险。本研究发现，伊拉克多家石油产品分销公司的工作人员头发中重金属水平偏高。