SHORT COMMUNICATION
Occupational Noise Exposure May Induce
Oxidative DNA Damage
Syed Kashif Nawaz1,2, Shahida Hasnain2,3
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1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
2 Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
3 School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2013;22(5):1547-1551
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ABSTRACT
Occupational noise enhances the risk of several cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular diseases. The
reason behind the drastic effects of noise exposure is the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species molecules. The present study investigates oxidative stress due to occupational noise exposure in 192 male smoking workers exposed to normal noise (sound level ≤80 dBA), low noise (sound level 81-94 dBA), and loud
noise (sound level ≥95 dBA). University-aged volunteers were selected for the normal sound exposed group.
Drivers and conductors were selected for the low-noise exposed group, and workers of power loom factories
were chosen for the high-noise exposed group. Oxidative stress was estimated using 8 OHdG as a biomarker
for oxidative DNA damage. Serum aldosterone and serum cortisol level was estimated using the enzyme
immunoassay method. Results indicated that 8 OHdG level was significantly different in different exposure
groups. It was highest in the low-noise exposed group (0.370±0.017 ng/ml) and lowest in the normal-sound
exposed group (0.22±0.01 ng/ml). Level of 8 OHdG in the high-noise exposed group was 0.29±0.00. There
was no significant variation of aldosterone levels among different groups. Cortisol levels of both noise groups
was higher than that of the normal sound group. It can be concluded that noise exposure induces stress in the
Pakistani population. This stress leads to oxidative DNA damage.