![Sample our Environment & Sustainability journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5935/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Sustainability.jpg"})
Abstract
Erythrocyte Na+,K+‐ATPase activity increased significantly in lead workers of a lead refining factory when measured with EDTA and compared to the controls without EDTA. The enzyme activity measured with EDTA increased in the following order: controls < office workers in a lead refining factory < lead workers. A positive correlation existed between blood lead and enzyme activity with EDTA (r = 0.380, p < 0.10), and the activity without EDTA (r = 0.398, p < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between sodium in erythrocytes and enzyme activity with EDTA (r = —0.437, p < 0.05), and the activity without EDTA (r=‐0.416). But no relationship was observed between enzyme activities and potassium in erythrocytes. A positive correlation between enzyme activity with EDTA and that without EDTA was observed (r = 0.452, p < 0.05).
With addition of lead to fragments of erythrocyte membranes, a significant decrease occurred in the activity of the enzyme without EDTA, whereas no change was observed with EDTA. No significant change occurred in the enzyme activity with and without EDTA upon addition of lead to blood. The maximum level of lead in membrane fragments (lead combined with membranes) of workers exposed to lead was 0.60 μg/mg protein, and that in the experiment of addition to blood was 7.0 μg/mg protein.
