Occupational Exposure to Incinerator-Emitted Heavy Metals among Healthcare Workers: A Plasma Biomonitoring Study in a Tertiary Hospital, Southwestern Nigeria

Osara EE 1 , Oketayo OO 1 , Idowu OP 2 , Oluwadare OJ 1 , Odo EA 1 , Odoh IM 3 Show all authors , Adesina KE 4 , Oke AO 1 , Olaseeni OG 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Physics, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria
  • 2 Department of Physics, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria. idowuopeyemipeter@gmail.com
  • 3 Health Centre, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria
  • 4 School of Health Science, Purdue University, West-Lafayette, IN, 47906, USA
  • 5 Department of Geophysics, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Biol Trace Elem Res, 2026 Nov;204(11):8464-8472.
PMID: 42545449 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-026-05272-6

Abstract

In many developing countries, including Nigeria, incineration of hospital waste remains a major waste treatment option, yet it is a significant factor contributing to occupational exposure to heavy metal emissions. This study investigated the concentration of selected heavy metals in blood plasma of workers that are occupationally exposed to hospital waste incinerator emissions in Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Sixty-four (64) venous blood samples were collected and analyzed. Forty-two (42) were the exposed group and twenty-two (22) were the non-exposed group. The mean concentration of metals in blood plasma followed the order Fe > Cu > Cr > Zn > Cd > Ni > Co > As > Pb > Hg. There exists a significance difference (p 

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