Health Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Workers in The Libyan Plastic Factories, Part A: Based on Biochemical Analysis

Suliman O.  Alayeb

doi:10.59743/jmset.v5i1.71

Authors

Suliman O. Alayeb Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Marine Resources, Alasmarya Islamic University, Zliten city, Libya.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59743/jmset.v5i1.71

Keywords:

Electrophoresis, , Genetic mutations, Plastic Factory, Protein

Abstract

This study aimed to disclose the reasons for the health damage and heritable genetic mutations among workers in plastic manufactories due to negative environmental impacts. Moreover, this study may constitute an initial database expressing the negative impact on the environment in the plastics factories that may have a negative impact on workers. To study the effects of long-term exposure to plastic and its solvent vapors during plastic manifesting on the blood protein contents, blood samples were withdrawn from volunteers working in a plastics factory in Kasr Alakhyar City, North-west Libya. Six different samples were collected from Clarkes exposed to plastic vapor for different periods as follows, control (did not expose to plastic vapor), one-year exposure, three years exposure, six years exposure, seven years exposure, and twelve years exposure. Blood samples were collected and subjected to protein electrophoresis and isoenzymes analysis for esterase and peroxidase. The results of protein electrophoresis indicated that a total number of 14 protein bands were resolved on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ranging from 16.5 KDa to 105 KDa. Five bands out of the resulted from 14 bands were considered common bands with molecular weights of 105, 98, 85, 63, and 16.5 KDa. (i.e. these bands were presented in all the six blood samples under investigation). The results also showed that too many changes were recorded in the protein banding patterns between the control volunteer and those who were exposed to plastic and its solvents vapor for different exposure periods. These changes in proteins suggested that a modification in gene excretion occurred as a response to the different exposure times to plastic during manifesting. Also, in esterase and peroxidase isozymes changes in the banding patterns between the control volunteer and those who were exposed to plastic and its solvents vapor for different exposure periods. These changes in proteins suggested that a modification in gene excretion occurred in the genes conferring these isozymes as a response to the different exposure periods to plastic during manifesting.

References

Chen B.Z., Yu S.L., Singh S., Kao L.P., Tsai Z.Y., Yang P.C., Chen B.H., and Li S.S.L. (2011). Identification of microRNAs expressed highly in pancreatic islet-like cell clusters differentiated from human embryonic stem cells. Cell Biol. Int.; 35: 29–37.

Dolinoy D.C., Huang D., and Jirtle R.L. (2007). Maternal nutrient supplementation counteracts bisphenol A-induced DNA hypomethylation in early development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA; 104: 13056–13061.

Laemmli U.F. (1970). Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head bacteriophage T4. Nature; 227: 680-685.

Larsen S.T., and Nielsen G.D. (2012). Acute airway irritation of methyl format in mice. Arch Toxicol.; 86(2): 285-292.

Larsen A.G., and Benson W.C. (1970). Variety-specific variants of oxidative enzymes from soybean. Crop Sci.; 10: 493-495.

Li S.S.L., Liu Y.H., Tseng C.N., Chung T.L., Lee T.Y., and Singh S. (2006). Characterization and gene expression profiling of five new human embryonic stem cell lines derived in Taiwan. Stem Cells Dev.; 15: 532–555.

Manikkam M., Guerrero-Bosagna C., Tracey R., Haque M.M., and Skinner M.K. (2012). Transgenerational actions of environmental compounds on reproductive disease and identification of epigenetic biomarkers of ancestral exposures. PLoS One; 7: 93-107.

Scandalios J.C. (1984). Tissue-specific isozymes variation in maize. J. Heredity; 55: 281-285

Stegemann H., Burgenneister W., Krogerrecklenfort E. (1983). PAGE-manual 1983. Braunschweig, FRG: Institut fflr Biochemie, Biologische Bundesanstalt, Messeweg 11, 38104 Braunschweig.

Williams J.G., Kubelik A.R., Livak K.J., Rafalski J.A., and Tingey S.V. (1990). DNA polymorphisms amplified by arbitrary primers are useful as genetic markers. Nucleic acids research, 18(22): 6531-6535.

Zhang L., Zhang H.G., and Pang Q.Y. (2015). Physiological evaluation of the responses of Larix olgensis families to drought stress and proteomic analysis of the superior family. Genet. Mol. Res;14: 15577-15586.