Objective To estimate the effects of lead exposure on liver and haematological health of workers by measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in sera, zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), hemoglobin (HB), red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit (HCT) in occupational lead exposure and non-lead exposure male workers.
Methods Totally 261 workers exposed to lead were selected from a battery manufacturing plant and divided into a high and a low exposure groups by blood lead level at 400 μg/L and further grouped by quartile division. Another 133 non-lead exposure workers and administrative staff were chosen as a control group. Statistical analyses were applied to analyze liver function, zinc protoporphyrin, and blood cell parameters of workers with or without occupational lead exposure.
Results The abnormal rates of ALT and GGT and the values of ZPP, HB, RBC were significantly different between the lead exposure workers and the control (P<0.05). The measurements of ZPP, HB, and HCT were significantly different between the workers of the high and low exposure groups (P<0.05). Except HCT which was different between the high exposure group and the control group, the abnormal rates of ALT and GGT, as well as ZPP, HB, RBC, HCT, in the high and low exposure groups were remarkably different from those in the control group (P<0.05). The results of trend analysis showed that ZPP, ALT, and GGT were statistically different among the quartile groups (P<0.05); the results of variance analysis showed that HB, RBC, and HCT were statistically different among the quartile groups (P<0.05).
Conclusion Occupational lead exposure can cause elevated blood lead levels, and long-term lead exposure can affect the health of workers. Effective control measures against occupational lead hazard are required.
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