JIST

Abstract

Introduction: Air pollution is environmental risk to public health. As urban air quality declines, the risk of stroke, lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases increases. Oxidative stress from air pollution exposure may be an important mechanism for these deleterious effects. Therefore, effect of outdoor air pollution on oxidative stress in humans was evaluated.

Methods: In this community based, cross-sectional study, adults of either gender exposed to outdoor pollution were included. Subjects with history of intake of any medication or co-morbidity known to affect oxidative stress were excluded. Subjects exposed to outdoor pollution > 5hrs/day at least 5days/week were considered as cases and those exposed to outdoor pollution < 2hrs/day more than 5days/week as controls. Serum levels of Malondialdehyde, Total Nitric oxide and Sulfhydryl (Total) were estimated by UV spectrophotometry and compared between cases and controls.

Results: Total of 28 subjects were enrolled, from two areas in Hyderabad of which area 1was afflicted with vehicular pollution and area 2 with industrial pollution. Serum level of Malondialdehyde was significantly high and sulfhydryl (total) and total nitric oxide were significantly low in cases when compared to controls. Mean serum concentration of sulfhydryl (total) was significantly high in cases of Area 1, location with vehicular pollution.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates oxidative stress in population with high exposure to ambient air pollution when compared to population with lower exposure.