Lead exposure and urinary N-acetyl beta D glucosaminidase activity in adolescent workers in auto repair workshops

Purpose: 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+/-7.41mug/dL) were significantly higher than the rural control group (3.49+/-1.39mug/dL) but lower than the battery workers (25.27+/-9.82mug/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). Conclusion: Chronic low dose Pb exposure was found to cause renal tubular injury in children workers of auto repair workshops. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2002.