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Relative Study on Blood BTEX, Testosterone Hormone, Kidney and Liver Functions in Gasoline Station Workers, Thailand

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Author Affiliations

  • 1 College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, THAILAND

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 1, Issue (5), Pages 48-53, December,22 (2012)

Abstract

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), usually referred to as BTEX. These compounds can affect human health upon its dose and time of exposures. VOCs are usually found in fuels and other solvents which commonly presented in the environment, however, little known about their effects on the endocrine system. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between blood BTEX and testosterone hormone, and kidney and liver functions of gasoline station workers. The results showed average blood benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-, p-xylene. o-xylene levels were 284.9, 201.3, 178.7, 35.9, 73.3 µg/L respectively. While average testosterone, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were 13.4 nmole/L, 11.8 mg%, 1.0 mg%, 26.0 U/L, 30.9 U/L and 71.8 U/L respectively. Blood testosterone level was inversely related to toluene, m-, p-xylene, o-xylene and total BTEX levels (Linear regression analysis, p0.05). In addition, testosterone level had strongly inverse-relationship to kidney function of BUN and creatinine (linear regression analysis, p0.05 and p0.01). In conclusion, this study supported that BTEX exposures were chronically affected the decreasing of testosterone level in reproductive system as well as to kidney function.

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