Determination and evaluation of trace elements in the blood of radiography workers using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potentially toxic effects of trace elements in the blood of Iraqi medical radiography workers by analyzing them through GF-AAS. The study involved 50 male blood radiography workers from the medical imaging field at Al-Shatrah General Hospital in Thi-Qar City, Iraq. All workers were aged between 35-50 years and had worked for less than 10 years. The study compared these workers with 50 healthy men. The study found a significant increase in the levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ca among radiography workers compared to the healthy control group, while Zn and Se levels decreased significantly. Moreover, Specificity and confidence interval (95%) were estimated via the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). The study provided conclusive evidence of disturbances in the levels of trace elements in the blood of radiographer workers, which makes them more susceptible to many diseases because of their radiation exposure. which portends the more preventive measures of radiation. The linear range of Cd, Cu, Zn, Se and Pb in human serum were obtained 0.2-6.0 µg dL-1, 6.0-200 µg dL-1, 8.0-200 µg dL-1, 10-250 µg dL-1, 4-120 µg dL-1 by GF-AAS after dilution samples with DW up to 20 (n=10, RSD< 5%).