Exposure to heavy metals and its association with DNA oxidative damage in municipal waste incinerator workers in Shenzhen, China. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Dongfeng; Liu, Yanling; Liu, Shan; Li, Chun; Zhao, Yang; Li, Le; Lu, Shaoyou
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 250(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Waste incineration -- Heavy metals -- Oxidative stress -- Urine; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126289
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Burning municipal waste produces a great deal of harmful heavy metals, which may lead to elevated exposure in incinerator workers and residents living nearby. However, relevant human exposure studies remain scarce, especially in China. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of ten heavy metals in urine of incinerator workers (n = 119, as the exposed group) and residents living nearby (n = 215, as the control group) from Shenzhen (China), and explore the associations between heavy metal exposure and DNA oxidative stress (indicated by 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine or 8-OHdG) in humans. The median urinary concentrations of manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), selenium (Se) and 8-OHdG in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( p < 0.05), suggesting occupational exposure elevated heavy metal intake for the incinerator workers. Nevertheless, there is no correlation statistically significant between the concentrations of any heavy metal and 8-OHdG in urine in the exposed group, indicating heavy metals releasing from waste incineration were not important factors to induce DNA oxidative stress. To our knowledge, this study firstly reported the concentrations of heavy metal in urine and their associations with DNA oxidative damage in waste incinerator workers in Shenzhen, China. Highlights: Ten heavy metals and 8-OHdG in urine samples from incinerator workers and local residents from Shenzhen, China were measured. Waste incineration elevated Mn, Fe and Cr exposure in the incinerator workers. The incinerator workers were subjected to a higher extent of DNA oxidative damage. No significant correlation was found between urinary concentrations of any heavy metal and 8-OHdG concentrations.