การติดตามตรวจสอบทางด้านชีวภาพของตะกั่ว แคดเมียม และโครเมียมโดยการปรับปรุงเปลี่ยนพฤติกรรมด้านสุขวิทยาส่วนบุคคลในช่างซ่อมเครื่องใช้ไฟฟ้าและอุปกรณ์อิเล็กทรอนิกส์ ในจังหวัดสงขลา

Abstract

This study monitors blood lead and cadmium and urinary chromium levels in electrical and electronics repairers in Songkhla Province, Southern Thailand. The study participants were divided into two groups: repairers in Hat-Yai municipality as a study group (received intervention with improvement of personal hygienic behaviors, n=11) and repairers in Nakorn Songkhla's municipality as a control group (not received intervention with improvement of personal hygienic behaviors, n=10). Blood and urine samples were collected from every participant at pre-tests (0 month) and post-tests (4 months), and then analyzed for lead, cadmium and chromium concentrations using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) Perkin Elmer Optima 4300 DV according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 8005 (blood) and 8310 (urine). The median pre-test blood lead and cadmium and urinary chromium levels (interquartile range) in the study group (0 month, before the intervention) were Pb 15.75 (0.05-22.5) μg/dL, Cd 4.25 (4.25-8.00) μg/dL and Cr 0.60 (0.00-0.93) μg/g creatinine, respectively. In the control group, the pre-test median levels (interquartile range) (0 month, no intervention) were Pb 12.75 (8.92-16.75) μg/dL, Cd 2.62 (2.12-3.12) μg/dL and Cr 0.25 (0.00-0.55) μg/g creatinine, respectively. Moreover, the median post-test blood lead and cadmium and urinary chromium levels (interquartile range) in the study group (4 months after the intervention) were Pb 9.25 (0.25-16.25) μg/dL, Cd 2.75 (2.00-5.00) μg/dL and Cr 0.20 (0.00-0.41) μg/g creatinine, respectively. In the control group, the post-test median levels (interquartile range) (4 months, no intervention) were Pb 13.50 (10.19-20.94) μg/dL, Cd 3.25 (2.62-4.00) μg/dL and Cr 0.76 (0.69-1.46) μg/g creatinine, respectively. The median pre-test and post-test blood cadmium levels in both study and control group exceeded the BEI (Biological Exposure Index) of 0.5 μg/dL recommended by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test demonstrated significant differences between blood cadmium and urinary chromium levels before and after the intervention in the study group (P<0.05). According to the Mann- Whitney U Test, significant differences in the between differences pre-and post-test blood lead and cadmium and urinary chromium levels were also observed between the study group and control group (P<0.05). The findings reveal that intervention with improvement of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal hygiene (e.g. wore work shoes, gloves, as well as washed hands after any work and before eating food/drinking water/smoking cigarettes) can have a beneficial effect on blood cadmium and urinary chromium levels in the study group.