Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Residents 4 years After the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill

摘要

Background: We found a dose-response relationship between the severity of exposure to spilled crude oil and oxidative stress biomarkers even 1.5 years after the Hebei Spirit oil spill accident occurred in December 2007. Follow-up oxidative stress biomarker studies were undertaken approximately 3 years and 4 years after the accident in residents who live in highly exposed areas. Aims: This study was to assess the possible long-term persistence and recovery associated with the exposure to complex mixtures of spilled crude oil. Methods: Residents qualified for the follow-up studies were those whose residence is located within 8 km from the early contaminated coastline among the baseline cohort population. A total of 161 participants were enrolled at three times in February to April, 2009, October to November, 2010, and February to March, 2012. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured as indicators of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation, respectively. Results: The geometric mean of urinary 8-OHdG and MDA levels, 1.5 years, 3 years, and 4 years after the disasters were 6.0, 6.3, and 6.7 μg/g creatinine (cr) and 3.5, 2.6, 2.5 μmol/g cr, respectively. The urinary 8-OHdG levels had slightly increased as time passed in highly affected group, but the oxidative stress biomarkers did not correlate with the clean-up work duration and the distance indicators any longer adjusting for potential covariates 3 years and 4 years after the Hebei Spirit oil spill. Conclusions: Although time passed, the urinary 8-OHdG levels hardly changed during the follow-up period. Increased 8-OHdG levels might be related to the emergence of chronic progressive diseases, such as respiratory, allergic inflammatory, obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer.