Changes in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Biochemical and Hematological Profile of Workers in Spray Painting Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study

Christopher E. Ekpenyong* and Nseobong N. Nkereuwem

Changes in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Biochemical and Hematological
Profile of Workers in Spray Painting Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study

Occupational and environmental factors have been recognized as important contributors to the rising incidence of kidney disease in the general population, especially occupations that exposed workers to nephrotoxic substances.

Exposure to nephrotoxic substances accounts for about 25% of all cases of acute or chronic renal failure. Some nephrotoxic substances commonly encountered at workplace include organic solvents, copper, chromium,
tin, lead, mercury, welding fumes and spray painting fumes. Some of these chemicals may exist alone or in combination in pigments or in solvents.

A typical example is paint which consist of a mixture of pigments and solvents. Some pigments
found in paints include: white lead, titanium white, red lead, venetian red, chrome red, zinc
chromate and chrome yellow, while solvents such as hydrocarbon solvents (aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons),
halogenated solvents (chlorinated hydrocarbons) and oxygenated solvents (alcohols, glycol ethers, ketones and esters).

Furthermore, some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are added to paints to
attain the desired quality such as to enhance dryness due to their volatile nature.

VOCs and other constituents vaporized easily and emit gasses that cause widespread environmental pollution.
The percentage composition of these chemicals in paints is dependent on the physiochemical needs of the paints.

Nephrol Open J. 2019; 5(1): 8-14. doi: 10.17140/NPOJ-5-122