Exposure of Toxic Trace Metals in Human Blood of Rural Population from District Okara, Pakistan; A Case Study

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Rukhsar Saleem, Aimal Khan, Muhammad Afnan Khattak, Aliza Niazi, Lina Gouacem, Majid Ayaz

Abstract

The current study was designed to investigate the level of heavy metals: such as Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and its association with CBC in the blood samples of a rural population of district Okara. For the analysis of heavy metal, a total 30 human blood samples were collected. The concentrations (mg/L) of heavy metals were evaluated by using the atomic adsorption spectroscopy. In general, Cu is not detected. Cadmium is found in 21 samples, lead is found in all samples and chromium is present 29 samples. The mean concentration (mg/L) of lead and chromium were found higher in males whereas cadmium is higher in females. The highest mean value of cadmium 0.22mg/L, lead 1.596mg/L and chromium 4.264mg/L were recorded in human blood. The study reveals that the exposure of heavy metals causes adverse health effect by changing the level of CBC parameters. A strongly positive correlation of chromium and cadmium with CBC parameters (hemoglobin R²= 0.698, TLC R²= 0.0807 and R.B.C R²= 0.758), In cadmium (hemoglobin R²= 0.766, TLCR² = 0.862, R.B.C R²= 0.862) and lead show highly positive correlation (hemoglobin R²= 0.9319, TLC R²=0.9308, R.B.C R²= 0.9308). Study concluded that the level of heavy metals was higher in old persons and in females that can enter in body by food and industrial exposure.

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