Oxidative stress induction in woodworkers occupationally exposed to wood dust and formaldehyde

Federica Ghelli; Valeria Bellisario; Giulia Squillacioti; Elena Grignani; Giacomo Garzaro; Martina Buglisi; Enrico Bergamaschi; Roberto Bono

doi:10.1186/s12995-021-00293-4

Oxidative stress induction in woodworkers occupationally exposed to wood dust and formaldehyde

J Occup Med Toxicol. 2021 Feb 9;16(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s12995-021-00293-4.

Authors

Federica Ghelli¹, Valeria Bellisario¹, Giulia Squillacioti¹, Elena Grignani², Giacomo Garzaro³, Martina Buglisi¹, Enrico Bergamaschi³, Roberto Bono⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy.
² Maugeri Scientific Clinical Institutes, Via Salvatore Maugeri, 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
³ Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Zuretti 29, 10126, Turin, Italy.
⁴ Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, via Santena 5 bis, 10126, Turin, Italy. roberto.bono@unito.it.

Abstract

Background: Many workers are exposed to wood dust (WD) and formaldehyde (FA), whose carcinogenic activity is supposed to be oxidative stress-mediated. This study aims to assess to what extent the occupational exposure to WD and FA, albeit within regulatory limits, could result in OS induction in a woodworkers' population.

Methods: The sample population consisted of 127 woodworkers from 4 factories and 111 unexposed controls. Individual exposure was assessed by personal air-samplers. Each participant enrolled in the study filled out a questionnaire and provided a urinary sample to quantify OS biomarkers, namely 15-F_2t-IsoProstane (15-F_2t-IsoP) and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). The main confounding factor for OS, i.e. tobacco smoking exposure, was assessed by measuring cotinine in urine samples.

Results: Woodworkers were exposed to significantly higher amounts of WD and FA as compared to controls (p < 0.001). Among OS biomarkers, 15-F_2t-IsoP showed statistically significant higher values in woodworkers compared to controls (p = 0.004). A significant, positive correlation was observed between 15-F_2t-IsoP and 8-oxo-dGuo (p = 0.005), cotinine (p = 0.05), FA (p < 0.001) and WD (p = 0.01); 8-oxo-dGuo was significantly correlated with cotinine (p = 0.001) and WD (p = 0.004). In addition, WD and FA were significantly correlated each other (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The study confirms that WD and FA may induce OS in woodworkers, and highlights that even the compliance with occupational exposure limits can result in measurable biological outcomes.

Keywords: Biomonitoring; Epidemiology; Formaldehyde; Occupational hygiene; Wood dust.