Status of Prostate Specific Antigen and Alpha Fetoprotein in Nigerian E-Waste Workers: A Cancer Risk Predictive Study

Abstract

Nigeria is reported as the largest electronic waste (e-waste) dump yard in Africa; and to date, Nigeria's e-waste management practices remain completely primitive. It was recently documented that the majority (88.8%) of Nigerian e-waste workers (with exposure burden of ≥ 6 hours per day; ≥ 6 days per week) worked without personal protective devices inspite of the volume of toxic substances, some of which are known carcinogens, documented to be found in e-waste. The present study aimed to evaluate the status of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) as cancer risk biomarkers in Nigerians occupationally exposed to waste electrical and electronic equipment (also known as e-waste) in Benin City, Nigeria. Serum levels of PSA and AFP were determined in Nigerian e-waste workers (n=63) and in age-matched non-exposed participants (n=41), using Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay. It was observed that PSA and AFP levels in e-waste workers (12.62 ± 6.0 ng/ml; 3.56 ± 0.34 ng/ml) were significantly elevated compared with the non-exposed group (2.14 ± 0.38 ng/ml; 2.14 ± 0.80 ng/ml), (P=0.000 and P<0.045) respectively. In addition, 26% of e-waste workers compared with 11% of non-exposed participants registered higher than the reference range of PSA (0-4.0 ng/ml) used for healthy subjects. This study concludes that the significantly elevated cancer risk biomarkers (PSA and AFP) observed in the studied population of Nigerian e-waste workers may be associated with occupational exposure to known carcinogens in e-waste.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soil of an Open Dump along Old Ikare Road Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria

“…However, when soils are collected from contaminated dumpsites are used to fertilise plants, heavy metals present in the soil might affect the food chain through bioaccumulation leading to serious health issues in human. Health issues like blood disorder, kidney destruction, and brain and neurological damage may affect human during exposure to heavy metals [7]. More so, previous studies showed that consumption of dust and soils exposed to heavy metals and metalloid from hazardous waste, leaded petrol, automobiles and industrial waste may result to some ecological risk health issue [8].…”