Elevated Oxidative Damage in Kitchen Workers in Chinese Restaurants

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate associations between occupational exposure to cooking oil fumes (COFs) and potential oxidative and genotoxic effects in kitchen workers. Methods: Sixty-seven male kitchen workers and 43 male controls from Chinese restaurants in Guangzhou were recruited. For all the participants, the levels of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) in urine, binucleated micronucleus (BNMN) frequency, comet tail length and tail DNA% in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were measured. The inhalable particulates (PM₁₀) in their workplaces were also monitored. Results: Our results showed that the exposed group had a significantly higher median level of urinary 1-OHP than that of the control group (p<0.01). In addition, the median levels of 8-oxodG, BNMNs, tail length and MDA in the exposed group were markedly higher than those of the controls (p<0.01). These differences, except that of MDA, appeared not to be modified by the potential confounders: age, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption. A univariate regression analysis showed that greater 1-OHP, 8-oxodG, BNMNs, tail length and MDA were associated with years working in a kitchen and cooking time per day. All these positive associations remained after adjusting for the four confounders in a subsequent multivariate linear regression analysis. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to COFs led to increased oxidative damage in Chinese kitchen workers. The health consequences of these oxidative changes need further investgation. Urinary 1-OHP and 8-oxodG are noninvasive and effective biomarkers for assessment of oxidative damage in restaurants workers.