Environ Monit Assess. 2014 Feb;186(2):761-79. doi: 10.1007/s10661-013-3415-9.
The human health impact of the historic and current mining and industrial activities in Tunisia is not known. This study assessed the exposure to metals in the population of Southern Tunisia, using biomonitoring. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate metal exposure on 350 participants living near mining and active industrial areas in the South of Tunisia. Blood specimens were analyzed for metals (Cd, Cr, As, and Ni) by Atomic Absorption Spectrometer equipped with Zeeman background correction and AS-800 auto sampler by graphite furnace and graphite tubes with integrated L'vov platform. The sample population was classified according to different age groups, sex, smoking habit, sea food and water drinking consumption, occupational exposure, amalgam fillings and place of residence. The blood As, Cd, Cr and Ni values expressed as mean ± SD were 1.56 ± 2.49, 0.74 ± 1.15, 35.04 ± 26.02 and 30.56 ± 29.96 μg/l, respectively. Blood Cd and Ni levels in smokers were 2 and 1.2 times, respectively, higher than in non-smokers. Blood Cd levels increase significantly with age (p = 0.002). As, Cd and Ni were significantly correlated with gender and age (p < 0.05). Cd level in blood samples of subjects occupationally exposed was 1.3 times higher than that of non-exposed. Blood metals were not significantly affected by amalgam fillings, place of living and sea food and drinking water consumption. This first biomonitoring study of metal exposure in the South of Tunisia reveals a substantial exposure to several metals. The pathways of exposure and health significance of these findings need to be further investigated.
突尼斯历史上和当前的采矿和工业活动对人类健康的影响尚不清楚。本研究通过生物监测评估了突尼斯南部人口接触金属的情况。本初步研究的目的是评估居住在突尼斯南部采矿和活跃工业区附近的 350 名参与者的金属暴露情况。采用原子吸收光谱仪（配备 Zeeman 背景校正和 AS-800 自动进样器），通过石墨炉和带有集成 L'vov 平台的石墨管，分析血液样本中的金属（Cd、Cr、As 和 Ni）。根据不同年龄组、性别、吸烟习惯、海鲜和水的摄入、职业暴露、汞合金填充物和居住地对样本人群进行分类。血液 As、Cd、Cr 和 Ni 的值以平均值±标准差表示，分别为 1.56±2.49μg/L、0.74±1.15μg/L、35.04±26.02μg/L 和 30.56±29.96μg/L。吸烟者血液中的 Cd 和 Ni 水平分别是非吸烟者的 2 倍和 1.2 倍。血液 Cd 水平随年龄增长显著增加（p=0.002）。As、Cd 和 Ni 与性别和年龄显著相关（p<0.05）。职业暴露组的血液 Cd 水平比非暴露组高 1.3 倍。血液金属含量不受汞合金填充物、居住地点、海鲜和饮用水摄入的显著影响。这是突尼斯南部首次进行的金属暴露生物监测研究，揭示了人们大量接触多种金属。需要进一步研究这些发现的暴露途径和健康意义。
