Original scientific paper
Effect of low lead exposure on the level of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity
S. Milić
; Institute of Occupational and Radiological Health, Belgrade
M. Stanković
; Institute of Occupational and Radiological Health, Belgrade
Vera Delić
; Institute of Occupational and Radiological Health, Belgrade
Abstract
The examination of the activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in blood has been carried out in workers in a printing office with a low occupational exposure to inorganic lead. A reduction of the enzyme activity was found in a group of 99 workers. In this group, the mean values of urinary levels of lead, delta-aminolevulinic add and oorproporphyr.in were found to be within normal limits. The mean enzyme activity amounted to 77 per cent of that of the control group. The control group was composed of 33 nonexposed healthy subjects. In the group slightly exposed to lead in about 60 per cent of workers ALA-dehydratase activity values were below normal level. A statistically significant difference (t = 3.77; P < 0.001) in the mean values of ALA-dehydratase activity was obtained between the exposed and the control subjects. The estimation of ALA-dehydratase activity provides a very sensitive test of increased lead intake, even at lead concentrations in air below the MAC value. The test therefore seems to be too sensitive to be of use in industrial medicine, especially in the control of workers with evidently increased lead exposure.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
173078
URI
Publication date:
16.12.1970.
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