Antioxidant Trace Metals among Roadside Petrol Dispensers in Gombe State, Nigeria

Background: The number of people found to be exposed to gasoline is of public health concern. In developed countries, unlike developing countries, measures are taken to dispense gasoline quickly and safely to reduce exposure. In Nigeria, roadside dispensers are a common sight, often with no any form of protection. This leads to high levels of exposure with the consequences including oxidative injuries. As cofactors in antioxidant reactions, antioxidant trace metals are consumed in the process of converting the free radicals generated by petrol.

Methods: Antioxidant trace metals (zinc, manganese, copper, and selenium) were compared between 90 road side dispensers of gasoline and 90 matched controls. Plasma zinc, selenium, manganese and copper ware analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).

Results: The mean age of the exposed and control groups are 29.03±3.7 and 29.24±3.5 years respectively. Antioxidant trace metals zinc (64.7±6.09 µg/dl), manganese (7.93±1.32 µg/dl) and copper (77.8±7.38 µg/dl) of the exposed were significantly (p< 0.001) lower than the controls (100.2±9.58 µg/dl, 9.22±1.19 µg/dl and 103.8±20.09 µg/dl respectively). Selenium (0.03±0.008 µg/dl) was significantly (p< 0.001) higher in the exposed group compared to the controls (0.01±0.0023 µg/dl).

Conclusion: This study has demonstrated lower level of antioxidant trace metals in roadside dispensers of gasoline compared to the controls. This indicates that those exposed are probably at greater risk of developing chronic diseases associated with increase oxidative stress. Enforcing legislation on roadside gasoline dispensing may reduce the risk.