Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
National Centre for Physics, Quaid-I-Azam University Campus, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2022 May 3;12(1):7172. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11304-7.
The present study aims to assess the effect of a heavy metal burden on general health, biochemical parameters, an antioxidant enzyme, and reproductive hormone parameters in adult male brick kiln workers from Pakistan. The study participants (n = 546) provided demographic data including general health as well as body mass index. Blood was collected to quantitatively assess hematological, biochemical, and reproductive hormone parameters as well as heavy metal concentrations using both atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The data showed that 10% of the brick kiln workers were underweight and 10% obese (P = 0.059), with workers also reporting multiple health issues. Heavy metal concentrations utilizing AAS revealed significantly (p = 0.000) higher levels of cadmium, chromium, and nickel, while PIXE detected more than permissible levels of Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Zn, Ti (p = 0.052), Mn (p = 0.017), Fe (p = 0.055), Co (p = 0.011), Ni (p = 0.045), and Cu (p = 0.003), in the blood of kiln workers. Moreover, a significant increase in platelet count (P = 0.010), a decrease in sodium dismutase levels (p = 0.006), a major increase in reactive oxygen species (p = 0.001), and a reduction in protein content (p = 0.013) were evident. A significant increase in cortisol levels (p = 0.000) among the workers group was also observed. The concentration of LH and FSH increased significantly (p = 0.000), while that of testosterone decreased (p = 0.000) in the worker group compared with controls. A significant inverse relationship was found between cortisol, LH (r = - 0.380), and FSH (r = - 0.946), while a positive correlation between cortisol and testosterone was also evident (r = 0.164). The study concludes that increased heavy metal burden in the blood of brick kiln workers exposes them to the development of general and reproductive health problems due to compromised antioxidant enzyme levels, increased oxidative stress conditions, and a disturbing reproductive axis.
本研究旨在评估重金属负担对来自巴基斯坦的成年男性砖窑工人的总体健康、生化参数、抗氧化酶和生殖激素参数的影响。研究参与者（n=546）提供了人口统计学数据，包括一般健康状况和体重指数。采集血液以使用原子吸收光谱法（AAS）和粒子激发 X 射线发射（PIXE）定量评估血液生化和生殖激素参数以及重金属浓度。数据显示，10%的砖窑工人体重过轻，10%的工人超重（P=0.059），工人还报告了多种健康问题。利用 AAS 检测到的重金属浓度显示，镉、铬和镍的水平显著升高（p=0.000），而 PIXE 检测到的 Si、P、S、Cl、K、Ca、Zn、Ti（p=0.052）、Mn（p=0.017）、Fe（p=0.055）、Co（p=0.011）、Ni（p=0.045）和 Cu（p=0.003）的含量超过了允许水平。此外，血小板计数显著增加（P=0.010），钠歧化酶水平下降（P=0.006），活性氧显著增加（P=0.001），蛋白质含量减少（P=0.013）。还观察到工人组中皮质醇水平显著升高（P=0.000）。与对照组相比，工人组中 LH 和 FSH 的浓度显著增加（p=0.000），而睾酮的浓度降低（p=0.000）。在工人组中，皮质醇与 LH（r=−0.380）和 FSH（r=−0.946）呈显著负相关，而皮质醇与睾酮之间也存在正相关（r=0.164）。研究得出结论，砖窑工人血液中重金属负荷的增加使他们面临一般和生殖健康问题的发展，这是由于抗氧化酶水平下降、氧化应激条件增加和生殖轴紊乱所致。
