European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY AND LIPID PEROXIDATION IN AUTOMOBILE MECHANICS AND PLASTIC INDUSTRY WORKERS IN NNEWI METROPOLIS, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

*Patrick Onochie Manafa, Jude Ndubuisi Onwuzulike, Nkiruka R. Ukibe, Ezihe Henry Chinagorom, Enyi Ruhuoma Alice, Izunna Somadina Okwelogu, Ogbuowelu Ogechukwu Sabina, Igwe Chigbo Anselem, Eguogwu Franklin Chigozie and Nnenna Amadi C.

ABSTRACT

Automobile mechanics and plastic industry workers are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals in their respective work places. Most of these chemicals have been adjudged to affect good health through the generation of free radicals. Inadequate body antioxidants in the presence of excess free radicals can result in oxidative stress which may lead to tissue damage. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of many diseases. Materials and Methods: This work is a cross-sectional study aimed at determining the total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in automobile mechanics and plastic industry workers. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated using malondialdehyde, a biomarker. The parameters were estimated spectrophotometrically. A total of 150 individuals which comprised 50 automobile mechanics, 50 plastic industry workers and 50 healthy individuals who were neither automobile mechanics nor plastic industry workers (controls) were recruited for this study by purposive sampling. A questionnaire was used to obtain important information from the participants and about 7mls of venous blood was drawn for analysis of the parameters from the cubital fossa. Results: The results showed significant lower mean serum TAC in automobile mechanics (884.50±146.27) and plastic industry workers (829.01±158.58) compared with the control group (994.43±164.18) (p<0.05). A significantly higher mean MDA levels were observed in automobile mechanics (2.88±0.80) and plastic industry workers (3.15±0.70) compared with the control (2.09±0.47) (p<0.05). No correlation was observed between TAC (r= -0.078, p=0.593) and MDA levels (r=-0.054, p=0.771) and age of automobile mechanics. In plastic industry workers, a weak positive correlation existed between TAC and age (r = 0.196, r=0.172), while no correlation was observed in MDA levels (r = 0.009, p=0.951). Conclusion: The industrial chemical exposures in automobile workshops and plastic industries have a widespread effect on the antioxidant system of automobile mechanics and plastic industry workers which is attributable to increased lipid peroxidation.

Keywords: Total antioxidants, Malondialdehyde, Lipid Peroxidation, Plastic.