Abstract
The aim of this study was to study the health effects among workers from BTEX exposure in gas stations. Data were collected from study group of 100 employees who were working in the fuel dispenser area and the control group of 100 workers who were operating outside the fuel dispenser area. The data collection was conducted thro μg h the interview, determined BTEX compounds in the working atmosphere by using a passive badge sampler, and BTEX compounds from urine as well as the blood test serving a biochemical analysis. The findings of the study had shown that, from 200 informants, the majority of study subjects was female with 68.5%, the average age (SD) was 27.78 (5.95) years-old with body mass index exceeded 32%, smoking 21% and alcohol consumption 17%. The physical and mental health condition during the past year was good 85.0% and 74.0%. Percentage of hours worked per week, mostly workers had 1-2 years 28% whereas the percentage of the working hour for more than 8 hours per day was 36%, and worked 6 days per week was 55%. From the interview, 73% of the workers had abnormal symptoms of neurological system, 52.5% had respiratory tract. Personal exposure to ambient concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) assessed by passive-diffusive samplers in a subgroup of 200 workers were expressed as non-detected for all samplers. Urinary concentrations of biomarkers in the whole group were 431.232 (233.69) g/ g creatinine [59.71-1482.46 g/ g creatinine] for t, t-MA, 0.011 (0.001). mg/ l[0.011-0.013 mg/ l for toluene in urine, 0.341(0.125) g/ g creatinine [0.061-0.772 g/ g creatinine] for hippuric acid, 0.062 (0.015) g/ g creatinine [0.03-0.11 g/ g creatinine] for mandelic acid, 0.414 (0.104) g/ g creatinine [0.20-0.88 g/ g creatinine] for methyl hippuric acid. The means ± SD of hemoglobin between exposed group and non-exposed group, hemoglobin (13.08 ± 1.67 g/ dL vs 13.29 ± 1.53 g/ dL), hematocrit (39.75 ± 5.41% vs , 39.95 ± 4.39%), red blood cell count (5.13 ± 0.77 mil/ μl vs 5.33 ± 0.62 mil/ μl), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (78.82 ± 10.54 fl vs 78.38 ± 10.53 fl), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (26.85 ± 3.72 pg vs 27.69 ± 3.11 pg), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (33.34 ± 1.52 pg vs 33.53 ± 1.05 g/ dl), plt (283.91 ± 67.54 x103 cell/ ul vs 285.94 ± 62.80 x103 cell/ ul), white blood cell (8.65 ± 2.46 x103/ ul vs 8.14 ± 1.82 x103/ ul), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (29.63 ± 29.87 u/ l vs 36.30 ± 10.67 u/ l), alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) (33.88 ± 48.91 u/ l vs 36.15 ± 19.75 u/ l), blood urea nitrogen (17.72 ± 2.52 mg/ dl vs 12.72 ± 3.21 mg/ dl), creatinine (0.77 ± 0.17 mg/ dl vs 0.68 ± 0.14 mg/ dl), HbA1C(5.72 ± 1.06 vs 5.45 ± 0.94), acetylcholinesterase (7.38 ± 1.73 u/ ml vs 7.85 ± 1.49 u/ ml), cardiac troponin(0.49 ± 0.03 ng/ ml vs 0.51 ± 0.08 ng/ ml). Multivariate logistic regression showed that female [P = 0.001, OR = 2.946 (95% CI 1.586,5.471)] were associated with MCH as well as female [P = 0.043, OR = 2.683 (95% CI 1.032,6.979)] were associated with MCHC. Fueling up to 11 or more vans per day [P = 0.019, OR = 3.952 (95% CI 1.252,12.479)] were associated with WBC. Additionally, no wearing a mask [P = 0.021, OR = 4.797 (95% CI 1.264, 18.211)] were associated with BUN. The number of working hours per day was more than 8 hours. [P = 0.032, OR = 3.122 (95% CI 1.101, 8.851)] were associated with SGPT. Operation at the dispenser P = 0.044, OR = 2.618 (95% CI 1.028-6.667)] were associated with acetylcholinesterase enzyme Multivariate logistic regression showed that overtime over 6 hours per week [P = 0.067, OR = 2.212 (95% CI 945,5.177)] and no wearing closed shoes [P = 0.033, OR = 2.027 (95% CI 1.057-3.887)] were associated with development of neurological symptoms as well as the duration of sleep per day was less than 8 hours [P = 0.008, OR = 2.932 (95% CI 11.1197,7.18)], overtime over 6 hours per week[P = 0.019, OR = 2.932 (95% CI 1.197, 7.18)] were associated with development of mental and emotional disorders symptoms. As a result of these factors can potentially increase risk of developing the neurological system as well as mental and emotional disorders related illness which results from the exposure to BTEX. Therefore, one should find ways to continuously monitor health and working environment surveillance.
