Electrolyte Concentrations and Liver Enzymes in Car Spray Painters Exposed to Car Spray Paints within Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

Aim: To determine the effect of car spray paint on electrolyte concentrations (sodium, potassium, bicarbonate and chloride), Anion gap, Total Protein, Albumin, liver enzymes (Alanine amino transferase and Aspartate amino transferase) of car spray painters.

Place of Study: The study was conducted within Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State Nigeria.

Methodology: Twenty (20) male car spray painters age range between 25 and 61 years with 7- 28 years work experience in car spray painting (test subjects) and twenty (20) apparently healthy male individuals aged between 25 and 61 years who work within an office setting far away from car spray painting garage (non-exposed individuals) were used as control for the study. Plasma electrolyte concentrations were estimated using Ion selective electrode method while Liver Enzymes Alanine amino transferase and Aspartate amino transferase were estimated using spectrophotometric method. Results obtained from the experiment were expressed as Mean ± Standard Deviation. P < .05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Sodium, Potassium, Bicarbonate and Chloride concentrations in plasma of car spray painters when compared to non-car spray painters did not showed any significant difference (P> .05). However, Anion gap was significantly increased (P<.05) in plasma of car spray painters when compared to non-car spray painters. Alanine amino transferase activity were significantly higher in plasma of Car spray painters (P < .05) when compared to non-car spray painters while Aspartate amino transferase activity, Total protein and Albumin concentrations remained relatively unchanged when compared between the studied groups. However, Aspartate amino transferase and Alanine amino transferase activities were affected by years of exposure to car paints.

Conclusions: This study suggest that car spray paint affects Anion gap and Alanine amino transferase activity in car spray painters hence safety apparatus should be worn while working. However further test on other liver enzymes should be done to validate the effect of spray paint on the liver.