PERCENTAGE CARBOMONOXIDE ESTIMATION AND MEASUREMENT OF MALONDIALDEHYDE, CATALASE VITAMIN E AND VITAMIN C IN RELATION TO OXIDATIVE STRESS IN EXHAUST FUME IN HUMANS.
Idoko Alexander1*, Muhammad Gwarzo Yalwa2, Ibrahim Usman Muhammad3, Rita Ogochukwu Ngwu1 and Nwali Onubuiwe Nelson1
1Department of Biochemistry, Caritas University Amorji – Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.
2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
3Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
E-mail: idokoalexander1@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Health threatening effects of exhaust fumes have been voluminously reported. However, the need to specifically determine the percentage estimation of Carbon monoxide (as Caroxyhemoglobin, (COHB), along with Malondialdehyde (MDA), Catalase (CAT), Vitamin E and Vitamin C becomes imperative. A total of 120 apparently healthy non smokers commercial tricyclists and non-drivers in Kano Metropolis, were used to achieve this investigation. This research was designed in phases I and II, of sixty subjects each for the investigation of possible oxidative stress. Each phase was grouped into two of thirty five and twenty five each, group I served as test control (commercial tricyclists, N = 35) and group II served as normal control (non-drivers, N = 25). A significant increase (p<0.05) in Malondialdehyde (MDA), Vitamin E and Vitamin C was observed in test control group compared to normal control in both phases, and exceptionally, Catalase (CAT) in phase II. In both phases, there was no statistical significant difference between the test group compared to control group in Carboxyhemoglobin (COHB), and Catalase (CAT) in phase I. Higher plasma Malondialdehyde in test group was suggestive of higher oxidative stress in the subjects. The observed increase levels of the biomarkers of oxidative stress are strongly related to the free radicals generating potential of CO in exhaust fumes inhaled by these subjects, which also indicate the danger of exposure of exhaust fumes at any minute quantity.