Kidney and liver biomarkers in female dry-cleaning workers exposed to perchloroethylene

Blood and urine perchloroethylene and urine trichloroacetic acid, as marker s of exposure, and serum AST, ALT, GGT and creatinine, urine total solutes and proteins, angiotensin converting enzyme, N-acetyl-beta -D-glucosaminida se and glutamine synthetase, as markers of effect, M-ere measured in 40 dry -cleaning and 45 ironing-shop female workers. Average perchloroethylene air level in the dry-cleaning shops was 59.7 mg m(-3), i.e, three-fold lon er than the current A.C.G.I.H. TLV-TWA (170 mg m(-3)). No statistically signif icant difference in the mean values of any of the effect markers was observ ed between the two groups, except for AST which was significantly higher in dry-cleaners. In addition, a statistically significant correlation a as ob served in dry-cleaners between environmental perchloroethylene and total ur inary solutes (r=0.308, p<0.05) or urine glutamine synthetase (r=0.406, P < 0.01), between glutamine synthetase and blood perchloroethylene in post-shi ft (r=0.406, p<0.01) or urinary perchloroethylene in post(r=0.571, p<0.001) or pre-shift (r=0.586, p<0.001), and between urinary perchloroethylene in pre-shift and GGT (r=0.407, p<0.05). Interestingly some statistically signi ficant correlations between exposure and effect indices were found in ironi ng-shop workers alone, as in all subjects. Finally transaminases, GGT and t otal urinary proteins were influenced by age and alcohol consumption which were significantly higher in dry-cleaners, thus providing an explanation fo r some of the correlations observed. In conclusion, our results show a dose -related increase of glutamine synthetase activity, a marker of damage of t he pars recta of the kidney proximal tubule, in the urine of female subject s exposed to perchloroethylene concentrations in the work environment lower than current A.C.G.I.H. TLV-TWA.