Assessment of liver function among nickel-plating workers in Egypt

Currently no reports are available from Egypt regarding occupational exposure to nickel and its effects on the liver. The aim of this study was to assess the liver function of workers occupationally exposed to nickel. Standard liver function tests were applied to blood samples from 25 nickel-plating workers in Damietta, Egypt and 30 administrative workers as a reference group. Levels of urine nickel, measured by inductively coupling plasma-emission spectroscopy, were significantly higher in nickel-exposed workers compared with the reference group. The levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly higher in nickel-exposed workers. The level of serum albumin was significantly negatively correlated and the levels of serum aminotransferases, and serum gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase were significantly positively correlated with urine nickel levels. Liver function is compromised in nickel-plating workers compared with non-exposed administrative workers.