Lead exposure and urinary N-acetyl beta D glucosaminidase activity in adolescent workers in auto repair workshops.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate levels of lead (Pb) exposure and renal tubular damage among adolescent workers in auto repair workshops in Turkey.


METHODS
The study was conducted on 39 adolescent workers (mean age: 16.18 +/- 3.19 years) in auto repair workshops (8 autoelectrician, 10 motor repairman, 8 auto painter, 5 turner, 8 bonnet straighter). Thirteen adult employees of battery production in the workshops (mean age: 32.08 +/- 10.94 years) and 29 healthy rural adolescent (mean age: 14.78 +/- 2.68 years) constituted the control groups. The level of blood Pb was investigated by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and urinary N-acetyl beta- D glucosaminidase (NAG) activity was measured by a colorimetric method. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to examine group differences.


RESULTS
All subjects and controls had normal blood urea, creatinine, uric acid, sodium, potassium levels, normal routine urine examination and tubular phosphorus reabsorption. Blood Pb levels in auto repair workers (8.13 +/- 7.41 mug/dL) were significantly higher than the rural control group (3.49 +/- 1.39 mug/dL) but lower than the battery workers (25.27 +/- 9.82 mug/dL). Urinary NAG (U/gr creatinine) (4.71 +/- 2.11) was lower than the battery workers (7.39 +/- 4.37), however significantly higher than the normal control group (3.07 +/- 1.20). In addition, auto painters had higher levels of Pb exposure and urinary NAG activity than the other workers (p <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic low dose Pb exposure was found to cause renal tubular injury in children workers of auto repair workshops.
Sönmez
Ferah
F
Department of Paediatrics, Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey. ferahsonmez@yahoo.com
Dönmez
Osman
O
Sönmez
Hulki Meltem
HM
Keskinoğlu
Ahmet
A
Kabasakal
Caner
C
Mir
Sevgi
S
D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001336:Automobiles; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D007854:Lead; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase