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ABSTRACT
The metals intake through tobacco smoking is associated with adverse effects for human health. The present study was aimed to understand the effects of biri smoking on smoker’s serum metal profile. Seven metals, cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), were analysed in serum samples of 20 biri smokers and 20 non-smokers from North India. The Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr and Cu concentrations were higher while Fe and Zn concentrations were lower in smokers compared to non-smokers. The Fe concentrations, the highest among all metals, seemed to be unassociated with the smoking activity. This study indicated that biri smoking is a contributor to the body burden of Cd, Ni, Cu and Cr in the smoker’s body. The Cd, Ni, Cu and Fe concentrations are non-significantly associated with the age of smokers at p < 0.01 significance level, whereas Pb and Cr concentrations increase and Zn concentrations decrease with the increase in the age of smokers. Serum metal concentrations in the smoker subjects of North India are higher compared to the results of other similar studies. This could be linked to the poor quality of tobacco used in biri. We recommend conducting more detailed and controlled studies in this regard as a smoker is also subjected to other sources of exposure to metals.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to Prof. Albaiges, the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, and five anonymous reviewers for their help in improving the MS quality. SV is thankful to Pandit Bhagvat Dayal Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, for their cooperation in blood sample collection. We thank all the subjects who volunteered for blood donation. The Institute Instrumentation Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, is duly acknowledged for data generation on ICP-MS. There is no conflict of interest of any kind with any funding body or other organisation in this work.