Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Evaluation of Lead and Cadmium Levels in Individuals Exposed to Cement Dust

Nosakhare Omoyemwen Osakue, Miracle Nnenna Michael, Chinedum Charles Onyenekwe, James Ogochukwu Okafoanyali, Nosakhare Eric Osakue, Alfred Friday Ehiaghe, Augustine Chinedu Ihim

International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review · pp. 128–134 · Published 23 Jul 2024

10.9734/ijbcrr/2024/v33i7895

Abstract

Background: Heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, which are present in cement dust, are elements with a density of more than 5 g/cm3 that are harmful to both the environment and living creatures. This study was set out to evaluate levels of lead and cadmium in individuals exposed to cement dust in Nnewi metropolis. Study Design: This case-control study was carried out among male and female workers in cement depots in Nnewi metropolis who were selected by simple random sampling. Methods: Thirty-five individuals exposed to cement dust defined as test participants and thirty-five individuals not exposed to cement dust defined as control participants within the age range of 18 and 51 years were selected into this study. Test participants were sub-grouped based on years of exposure to cement dust into 3 years and below, 4 to 6 years and 7 years and above. Five millilitres of whole blood was collected from each selected participant and levels of lead and cadmium were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. Data were analysed using Independent Student’s T-test and ANOVA with least significant difference post hoc. Data was presented as mean ± standard deviation and significance level was taken at p< 0.05. Results: The blood levels of lead and cadmium in test participants were significantly higher than blood levels in control participants. The lead levels were significantly higher in test participants exposed to cement dust for 7 years and above than in test participants exposed to cement dust between 4 to 6 years and test participants exposed to cement dust for 3 years and below (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in serum levels of cadmium between test participants exposed to cement dust for 3 years and below, test participants exposed to cement dust between 4 years to 6 years and test participants exposed to cement dust for 7 years and above (p>0.05). Conclusion: Occupational exposure to cement dust causes high blood levels of lead and cadmium in the body and this accumulation is dangerous to health.

Lead cadmium heavy metals cement dust cement loaders

References (25)

  1. 1 Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals [DOI]
  2. 2 Interplay of calcium and cadmium in mediating cadmium toxicity [DOI]
  3. 3 Bone Resorption and Environmental Exposure to Cadmium in Women: A Population Study [DOI]
  4. 4 Cadmium: Mitigation strategies to reduce dietary exposure [DOI]
  5. 5 Cadmium induced Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fragmentation by disturbing calcium homeostasis in its hepatotoxicity [DOI]
  6. 6 Environmental cadmium exposure and pancreatic cancer: Evidence from case control, animal and in vitro studies [DOI]
  7. 7 Endocrine Disruptors and Abnormalities of Pubertal Development [DOI]
  8. 8 Cement dust exposure and acute lung function: A cross shift study [DOI]
  9. 9 Ecological and human health risk assessment of toxic metals in street dusts and surface soils in Ahvaz, Iran [DOI]
  10. 10 Particle size: A missing factor in risk assessment of human exposure to toxic chemicals in settled indoor dust [DOI]
  11. 11 Mitigation of lead neurotoxicity by the ethanolic extract of Laurus leaf in rats [DOI]
  12. 12 Exposure effect to cement dust pollution: a mini review [DOI]
  13. 13 The association between cumulative cadmium intake and osteoporosis and risk of fracture in a Chinese population [DOI]
  14. 14 Connecting gastrointestinal cancer risk to cadmium and lead exposure in the Chaoshan population of Southeast China [DOI]
  15. 15 Cadmium Concentration in Human Autopsy Tissues [DOI]
  16. 16 Heavy Metals [DOI]
  17. 17 Cement Dust Exposure and Perturbations in Some Elements and Lung and Liver Functions of Cement Factory Workers [DOI]
  18. 18 Nigeria's lead poisoning crisis could leave a long legacy [DOI]
  19. 19 Increased intestinal permeability with elevated peripheral blood endotoxin and inflammatory indices for e-waste lead exposure in children [DOI]
  20. 20 Assessment of Heavy Metal Status of Boreholes in Calabar South Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria [DOI]
  21. 21 Elevated blood lead levels among unskilled construction workers in Jimma, Ethiopia [DOI]
  22. 22 EFFECTS OF CEMENT DUST ON THE HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN OBAJANA CEMENT FACTORY WORKERS
  23. 23 Dust Deposition and Associated Heavy Metal Contamination in the Neighborhood of a Cement Production Plant at Konongo, Ghana [DOI]
  24. 24 Nickel and Cadmium Concentrations in Plasma and Na+/K+ATPase Activities in Erythrocyte Membranes of the People Exposed to Cement Dust Emissions [DOI]
  25. 25 Evaluation of serum Cd, Zn, and Cr in male cement loaders in Benin City, Nigeria [DOI]

Cited by 2

10-HDA ameliorates cadmium-induced renal injury by modulating mitochondrial autophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway

Nan Wang, Jie Fang, Yu-Feng Hou · Journal of Functional Foods · 2026

Showing 1 of 2 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

27

Page views

0

PDF downloads

2

Outbound clicks

2

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.