Biochemical changes among municipal solid waste sorting workers: implications for personal protective equipment...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Health
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Municipal solid waste management presents significant occupational biohazard and safety risks.
• Solid waste workers are exposed to diverse workplace hazards.
• Effective waste management is crucial for public and environmental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess personal protective equipment (PPE) availability and usage among solid waste sorting workers.
• To evaluate biochemical changes, including inflammation and allergy biomarkers, in these workers.
• To correlate PPE status with health outcomes and biochemical alterations.

Main Methods:

• Structured questionnaires and checklists were used to evaluate PPE availability, use, and appropriateness.
• Workers underwent biochemical testing for hepatic and renal function.
• Allergy and inflammation biomarkers, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and total serum immunoglobulin E, were measured.

Main Results:

• Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was observed in 12.9% of workers.
• High total serum immunoglobulin E levels were prevalent in 79.2% of workers.
• Inadequate PPE availability, use, or effectiveness correlated with increased morbidities and elevated biochemical markers (liver enzymes, urea, creatinine, hsCRP, IgE).

Conclusions:

• Elevated allergy and inflammation biomarkers suggest preclinical disease risks in waste workers.
• Basic health surveillance should incorporate these biomarkers for early detection.
• Emphasizing consistent and appropriate PPE use is vital for protecting the health of solid waste sorting workers.