ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Oxidative Stress, Erythropoietin,
and Some Physiological Parameters of Workers
Exposed to Heavy Metals Pollution
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Biology Department, College of Science, Salahaddin University- Erbil, Iraq
Submission date: 2023-08-11
Final revision date: 2023-10-08
Acceptance date: 2023-10-24
Online publication date: 2023-12-28
Publication date: 2024-02-09
Corresponding author
Edrees Ameen
Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University, Zanco, 44001, Erbil, Iraq
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(2):1531-1541
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ABSTRACT
Environmental air pollution directly affects human health, increasing the prevalence of mortality that
results from cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the effect
of air pollution results from the Erbil steel factory on oxidative stress markers, blood erythropoietin
hormone (EPO) concentration, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The study included 250 male
samples (150 workers worked in different locations in the Erbil steel factory and 100 healthy males were
used as a control group which was selected in the rural area away from the steel factory). A significantly
higher concentration of the oxidative marker malondialdehyde MDA and EPO hormone was observed
in the serum of workers who work near the furnace part of the factory when compared with control,
manager, and scrap parts of the factory. The higher concentration of the MDA and EPO hormone was
found in the groups of more than 11-15 years working when compared with the groups of less than
6-10 years working. The results found a significant positive correlation between Pb (r = 0.85<0.01),
Co ( r = 0 .70<0.01), H g ( r = 0 .74<0.01) a nd A s ( r = 0 .60<0.05) w ith M DA. T he w orkers i n d ifferent
locations parts of the factory showed significantly lower values of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin
(Hb), hematocrit, and forced vital capacity (FVC) and higher red cell distribution width (RDW),
systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate as compared with the control group. The decrease
and increase of the above-mentioned studies’ parameters are time-dependent and differ according
to the years of working.