Impact of occupational exposure to petroleum products on coagulation and white blood cell indices of Petrol station attendants in Nnewi metropolis, Nigeria.

Petroleum products are complex mixture of hydrocarbon compounds that is easily vaporized during handling. Occupational exposure to petroleum product fumes has become a major public health concern especially in developing countries where adequate protective measures are elusive. These fumes are known to be toxic and can cause abnormal alterations in the functioning of many vital organs. This was a comparative cross-sectional study designed to assess the impact of occupational exposure to petroleum products on the Prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and white blood cell indices of petrol station attendants (PSAs) in Nnewi metropolis. A total of 100 subjects were recruited comprising 50 petrol station attendants and 50 control subjects. Blood sample was collected and used to assay for the prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and white blood cell parameters. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The Prothrombin time was significantly shorter in the Petrol station attendants than that of the control group (P=0.004), while the activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly longer in the petrol station attendants than the control group (P<0.001). The monocytes count was also significantly higher in petrol station attendants than the controls (P=0.009). Also among the petrol station attendants, the males had significantly longer PT, and APTT values compared to their female counterparts (P=0.008 and 0.006 respectively). Occupational exposure to petroleum products has a detectable impact on coagulation parameters (shorter PT and longer APTT values) which makes it needful that the petrol station workers should be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment to minimize exposure.