Relationship of hemoglobin to occupational exposure to motor vehicle exhaust.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship of hemoglobin to exposure to motor vehicle exhaust.


METHODS
Survey.


METHODS
Traffic police, bus drivers, and auto-shop workers (all exposed to auto exhaust in Madras, India) and unexposed office workers.


METHODS
We measured levels of blood lead (by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry), and hemoglobin. Information also was collected on age, employment duration, smoking status, alcohol ingestion, and diet type (vegetarian or nonvegetarian).


RESULTS
Increasing exposure to motor vehicle exhaust, as reflected by job category, was significantly associated with lower levels of hemoglobin (p < 0.01). A final multivariate regression model was constructed that began with indicator variables for each job (with office workers as the reference category) and included age, duration of employment, blood lead level, alcohol ingestion, dietary type, and smoking status. After a backward-elimination procedure, employment duration as an auto-shop worker or bus driver remained as significant correlates of lower hemoglobin level and current smoking and long employment duration as significant correlates of higher hemoglobin level.


CONCLUSIONS
Occupational exposure to automobile exhaust may be a risk factor for decreased hemoglobin level in Madras. This effect appears to be independent of blood lead level and may represent hematopoietic suppression incurred by benzene or accumulated lead burden (which is not well reflected by blood lead levels). Smoking probably increased hemoglobin level through the chronic effects of exposure to carbon monoxide. In this study, a long employment duration may have served as a proxy for better socioeconomic, and therefore, better nutritional status.
Potula
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Quality Control Laboratory, Nuclear Fuel Complex (Bhabba Atomic Research Center, Hyderabad, India.
Hu
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D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016495:Police; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000009:adverse effects*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D007854:Lead; D002248:Carbon Monoxide