Assessment of antioxidant vitamin status in Nigerians occupationally and environmentally exposed to electronic waste in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The menace of unregulated dumping of electronic waste (e-waste) has been a major public health concern in both developing and developed countries. In Nigeria where e-waste reprocessing is substantial, the art has remained unregulated. The possible contribution of optimum antioxidant vitamins in mitigating the effects of occupational metal exposure in Nigerian e-waste workers has received little attention, hence this study.

Aim: The present study was aimed at investigating antioxidant vitamin Status in e-waste workers and environmentally exposed participants in Lagos, Benin and Ibadan cities in Southwestern Nigeria

Methods: Six hundred and thirty-two consenting participants from three major cities in Nigeria were recruited for this study. They included e-waste workers (EW) (381), environmental e-waste exposed (EEEP) individuals (120) and age- matched apparently healthy and unexposed individuals (131). Vitamins A, C and E were determined in serum using spectrophotometry. Data were analyzed using ANOVA at α0.05.

Results: Vitamins A and C in EEEP (2.20±0.04 μmol/L; 116±2.03 μmol/L) were significantly higher than EW (2.08±0.04 μmol/L; 88.75±3.33 μmol/L) and control (1.97±0.09 μmol/L; 92.19±1.68 μmol/L), respectively while vitamin E in EW (8.91±0.19 μmol/L) and EEEP (8.05±0.18 μmol/L) were significantly lower than control (12.36±0.34 μmol/L). Compared by location, levels of antioxidant vitamins in the three participants groups varied significantly from location to location.

Conclusion: Nigerians exposed to e-waste through occupational and environmental means may experience decreased levels of vitamin E. Antioxidant supplementation may be recommended with the aim of mitigating the risk of antioxidant vitamins depression in jobs with suspected mixed metal exposure like crude e-waste recycling.

Keywords: Antioxidant vitamins; e-waste; Metals; Occupational exposure.