Seminal Fructose and Zinc Levels with Blood Cadmium and Zinc Levels in Bronze Foundry Workers in Benin City, South-South Nigeria

Today, occupational exposure to harmful substances is common in many nations across the globe. This occupational exposure in many countries is highly unregulated. Using the bronze casting industry as a case study, there is a heightened interest in bronze artwork but its creators (bronze casters) haven't been given much thought when it comes to exposure to toxicants. Bronze casting can result in exposure to harmful material into the body and this can have an impact on reproductive health. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of seminal fructose and zinc and blood zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) among bronze casters and environmentally exposed persons as control group in Benin City, South-South, Nigeria. In this comparative cross-sectional research, 50 consenting participants were included, including 35 foundry  employees (Bronze casters) who were age-and sex-matched and 15 environmental control persons. Participant's socio demographic information and work-related behaviors were gathered via a questionnaire. Inductively coupled plasma- Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine Cd and zinc concentrations in while colorimetric method based on modified karvonen method was used to measure seminal fructose. Using α=0.05 and the student's T-test was used to compare the means. The study's findings indicate that bronze casters had blood Cd levels that was significantly higher (0.99±0.07 g/L) than those in the environmental control group (0.63± 0.03 g/L) (p=0.00; p> 0.05), a significant higher concentration of Serum Zn was seen in the control than foundry workers. No significant difference was observed in the seminal Zn, fructose,  true corrected fructose, or corrected fructose concentration, sperm cell concentration, volume, motility, morphology in the two groups. According to the findings of this research, Cd is accumulated in the blood of foundry workers with a significant reduction in serum Zn. This may portray a future threat to reproductive health if nothing is done to regulate the exposure of  the workers and the environment.