R. Nadif et al., RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BLOOD ANTIOXIDANTS AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN COKE-OVEN WORKERS, American journal of industrial medicine, 34(3), 1998, pp. 272-279
Background We investigated if blood Cu++/Zn++ superoxide dismutase, gl
utathione peroxidase, and catalase activities are increased and total
plasma antioxidant concentration is decreased in coke oven workers exp
osed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Methods Ninety-six coke oven
workers participated in the study. Nonexposed workers (n = 105) were
randomly sampled among power plant workers in the same age range. The
examination included a questionnaire on health status, occupational hi
story, smoking, and dietary habits. Blood samples completed the examin
ation. Coke oven workers were classified into low-, middle-, and high-
exposure groups based on the benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) air concentrations
and were further classified into the categories ''topside'' and ''non
-topside,'' according to their proximity to the ovens. Results Erythro
cyte glutathiane peroxidase activity increased with age (r = 0.18, P =
0.061) in power plant workers, whereas plasma glutathione peroxidase
activity decreased with age (r = -0.18, P = 0.068) and erythrocyte glu
tathione peroxidase activity was inversely correlated with the number
of cigarettes per day (r = -0.28, P = 0.08) in coke oven workers. Comp
arison of blood antioxidant enzyme activities and total plasma antioxi
dant concentration between coke oven and power plant workers showed th
at erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly lower
in coke oven workers, even after adjustment for potential confounding
factors. No differences were found either in other blood antioxidant
enzyme activities or in total plasma antioxidant concentration between
coke oven and power plant workers. Moreover; no trends toward decreas
ed glutathione peroxidase activity among the three subgroups of B[a]P
exposure were observed, and no differences either in blood antioxidant
enzyme activities or in total plasma antioxidant concentration betwee
n the two groups of job categories were found. Conclusions Production
of reactive oxygen species seems not to be increased in coke oven work
ers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 34:272-279, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.