Assessment of 8-Hydroxy-Deoxyguanosine, a Marker of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid Damage, among Workers Occupationally Exposed to Petroleum Products in Abuja Metropolis
Babatunde Ishola Gabriel Adejumo, David Adedotun Badejo, Patricia Ejenawome Dele-Ochei, Fidelis Ohiremen Oyakhire, Emmanuel Ojeideleko Akhaumere, Uche Cletus Odionyenma, Uchechukwu Dimkpa, Usman Itakure Abdulkadir, Vani Onotianamhe Usman-Onoruvie, Williams Peter Udoh, Andre Julin-Paulidor Kamdem, Grace Eleojo Obasuyi, Feyisayo Olayemi Aiyesoro, Mercy Ifueko Moses-Otutu, Abouo Andre Marie, Grace Umahi-Ottah, Mathew Folaranmi Olaniyan, Odekunle Bola OdegbemiAbstract
Background:
Occupational exposure to petroleum products, particularly benzene and other hydrocarbons, has been associated with oxidative stress and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage. 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is a recognized biomarker of oxidative DNA damage and has been used to assess environmental and occupational exposure risks. However, information on oxidative DNA damage among petroleum-exposed workers in Nigeria remains limited.
Aim:
This study assessed serum 8-OHdG levels among workers occupationally exposed to petroleum products in Abuja, Nigeria.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional study involving 250 adult male participants was conducted. Participants included petrol station attendants, automobile mechanics, tanker drivers, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) staff, and apparently healthy controls. Blood samples were collected at the end of work shifts, and serum 8-OHdG concentrations were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed using
Results:
No significant differences in mean serum 8-OHdG levels were observed between controls and petrol station attendants (
Conclusion:
Petrol station attendants exhibited the highest levels of oxidative DNA damage among the exposed groups. The higher 8-OHdG levels observed among controls compared with NNPCL staff may reflect unmeasured environmental, lifestyle, or biological factors. The inverse association between years of exposure and 8-OHdG levels should be interpreted cautiously, as biological adaptation was not assessed and alternative explanations, including healthy worker effect and survivor bias, cannot be excluded.