ESTIMATION OF SERUM CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY OF OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED WORKERS OF A FERTILIZER PLANT

Abstract

In the present study, serum cholinesterase activity was measured in the sera of the workers of fertilizer plant and the people residing in the staff colony. Carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitric acid and phosphoric acid are synthesized for the manufacturing of urea, nitrophos and calcium ammonium nitrate in the fertilizer plant. The activity of the enzyme found to be decreased in the workers and residents who were exposed directly or indirectly to the different gaseous emissions and waste products produced during different chemical processes compared to unexposed subjects. It is therefore suggested that the monitoring of serum cholinesterase activity can serve as a measure of an occupational exposure of workers of the fertilizer plants and can also be used as biomarker to monitor the toxicity of gaseous emissions and waste products.