Nusier Mohamad K, El-Akawi Zeyad J, Bani-Hani Ibrahim
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
Saudi Med J. 2003 Sep;24(9):941-4.
The aim of this study is to investigate blood lead levels in workers of lead acid battery factories and the relationship between those levels and the activity of y-glutamyl transferase (y-GT).
Samples of blood were collected during the period from July 2001 to August 2001 from 95 workers of the 2 lead-acid battery factories in Amman, Jordan. They were categorized into 2 groups based on the nature of their work: direct (high exposure) and indirect contact (low exposure) groups. Lead concentration in whole venous blood and y-GT activity was measured.
Mean blood lead levels were 51.4 +/- 1.8 and 23.9 +/- 3.8 ug/dl for both direct and indirect groups. y-Glutamyl transferase mean activity was found to be 29.2 +/- 2.6 U/L for direct and 23 +/- 5.7 U/L for indirect contact groups. Fifty healthy individuals were selected as controls. Their mean blood lead levels and y-GT mean activity were 12.3 +/- 0.5 ug/dl and 25.6 +/- 1.2 U/L. As results indicated, no significant relation was found between lead blood levels and y-GT activity (p=0.303) or between lead blood levels and duration of exposure in both direct and indirect groups (p=0.61). However, significant relation was found between lead blood levels and type of work (p value approached zero) and between lead blood levels and duration of exposure in those workers with lead blood levels exceeding 20 ug/dl and employed for more than one year (p value approached zero).
Lead blood levels among workers in lead acid battery factories in Jordan are high. In most cases, they are higher than the limit permitted by the World Health Organization. Therefore, good protection measures should be taken in such factories to avoid the negative impact of high lead blood levels on the health of workers.
本研究旨在调查铅酸蓄电池工厂工人的血铅水平，以及这些水平与γ-谷氨酰转移酶（γ-GT）活性之间的关系。
2001年7月至8月期间，从约旦安曼的2家铅酸蓄电池工厂的95名工人中采集血样。根据工作性质将他们分为2组：直接接触（高暴露）组和间接接触（低暴露）组。测量全静脉血中的铅浓度和γ-GT活性。
直接接触组和间接接触组的平均血铅水平分别为51.4±1.8和23.9±3.8μg/dl。γ-谷氨酰转移酶的平均活性在直接接触组中为29.2±2.6U/L，在间接接触组中为23±5.7U/L。选取50名健康个体作为对照。他们的平均血铅水平和γ-GT平均活性分别为12.3±0.5μg/dl和25.6±1.2U/L。结果表明，在直接接触组和间接接触组中，血铅水平与γ-GT活性之间（p=0.303）以及血铅水平与暴露时间之间（p=0.61）均未发现显著关系。然而，在血铅水平超过20μg/dl且工作超过一年的工人中，血铅水平与工作类型之间（p值接近零）以及血铅水平与暴露时间之间（p值接近零）发现了显著关系。
约旦铅酸蓄电池工厂工人的血铅水平较高。在大多数情况下，它们高于世界卫生组织允许的限值。因此，此类工厂应采取良好的保护措施，以避免高血铅水平对工人健康产生负面影响。
