Serum Total Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stress Marker Levels of Subjects in a Lead-Zinc Mining Community of Ebonyi State, Nigeria: Evidence of Lead Intoxication

Background: This study intended to investigate blood lead and serum total antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress marker levels of subjects in a lead-zinc mining community of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.Methods: Sixty-eight (68) occupationally-exposed (OE) and 62 environmentally-exposed (EE) to lead in Enyigba community and 70 non-inhabitants (controls), were recruited for this study. Blood samples were collected from them for blood lead (BL), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), assays using standard methods. Data were analyzed with the IBM SPSS software and means were compared using One Way ANOVA and t-test. Statistical differences was considered significant at p<0.05.Result: Mean BL significantly rose in the OE and EE groups (p<0.0001 respectively) than the controls. TAC decreased significantly in the OE (p<0.01), but increased in EE (p<0.05) compared with the control groups, while SOD, CAT, and MDA decreased significantly in the OE (p<0.01 respectively) and EE (p<0.01 each) versus control group. Significant higher TAC and lower CAT were recorded in the EE compared with the OE (p<0.05) subjects. GPx significantly increased (p<0.05) in the OE compared with the control group. Only CAT correlated significantly with lead in the EE subjects. BL, MDA, and CAT differed significantly (<0.0001 respectively), and SOD (<0.05) varied with age. Children <10 years recorded the highest BL concentration (34.77±12.46) b young adults aged 21-30 the lowest, which was significantly lower than in the other age categories.Conclusion: The elevated MDA concentration and reduced antioxidant activities indicated some oxidative stress damage resulting from lead toxicity.