Objective: To investigate the smoking or age impact on occupational workers in electrical and electronic equipment waste (e-waste) dismantling procedure, using 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the urine as a biomarker for oxidative damage to DNA.
Methods: The pre-workshift and post-workshift urinary samples of 64 male workers in e-waste dismantling procedure were detected by solid-phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector (SPE-HPLC-ECD). The data were statistically analyzed by two factors, age or smoking status.
Results: The 8-OHdG levels in non-smokers' urines (n = 42) were higher than those in smokers' urines (n = 22). The levels in pre-workshift urines were detected at (8.25 +/- 4.23) micromol/mol creatinine in non-smokers, while the values were (5.44 +/- 1.18) micromol/mol in smokers. And, the levels in post-workshift were detected at (43.12 +/- 16.19) micromol/mol creatinine in non-smokers, while the values were (14.82 +/- 2.51) micromol/mol in smokers. The 8-OHdG levels in pre-workshift urines were not different between non-smokers and smokers (t = -0.81, P = 0.42), however after 1 day exposure, urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly increased in non-smokers than those in smokers (t = - 2.33, P < 0.05). On the other hand, the subjects were divided into five groups according to their age. The 8-OHdG levels in pre-workshift urines were (1.86 +/- 0.66), (3.57 +/- 0.54), (8.12 +/- 4.10), (11.39 +/- 3.70) micromol/mol creatinine in < 20 years group (n = 6), 20 -years group (n = 22), 30 - years group ( n = 23), 40 - 49 years group (n = 11) respectively. No effect of age was found on the pre-workshift urinary 8-OHdG levels (F = 0.98, t = 0.41). However, it was found that the post-workshift urinary 8-OHdG levels increased along with the e-waste workers' age (F = 4.81, P = 0.03), and they were (4.19 +/- 2.85), (19.89 +/- 5.26), (28.89 +/- 14.61), (34.94 +/- 12.50) micromol/mol creatinine in < 20 years group, 20 - years group, 30 - years group, 40 - 49 years group respectively.
Conclusion: The urinary 8-OHdG levels in the e-waste dismantling workers might be inhibited by smoking status. The post-workshift urinary 8-OHdG levels increased along with the e-waste workers' age.