Occupational Health Hazards: Biomonitoring of Oxidative, Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Stress Markers in Female Market Traders

Abstract

Market activities may release toxic substances into the environment and adversely affect traders' health. This study assessed oxidative stress, inflammatory and cardiac stress markers among female market traders. Serum samples from market traders (Group 1, n = 20) and non-market women (Group 2, n = 20) were analysed. Unpaired t-test results (mean ± SEM) showed significantly lower catalase (CAT) levels in Group 1 than in Group 2 (26.83 ± 5.63 vs. 54.33 ± 7.88; p = 0.01), with significantly higher nitric oxide (NO) (25.35 ± 2.15 vs. 11.80 ± 1.37; p < 0.01), C-reactive protein (CRP) (28.30 ± 5.90 vs. 7.10 ± 0.78; p = 0.02), NT-proBNP (179.20 ± 30.01 vs. 61.10 ± 8.99; p = 0.01), myoglobin (97.92 ± 10.47 vs. 54.98 ± 13.82; p = 0.02) and soluble ST2 (sST2) (73.00 ± 5.20 vs. 30.24 ± 7.44; p < 0.01). Non-significant differences were observed for superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and CK-MB. Pearson correlation analysis between biomarker levels and exposure duration in Group 1 was significant only for sST2 (r = 0.66, p < 0.01). These findings indicate measurable alterations in oxidative, inflammatory and cardiovascular stress markers among female market traders compared with controls, suggesting the need for further occupational health assessment.