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Ceruloplasmin as a marker of occupational copper exposure

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 18, pages 332–337 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Estimation of serum copper to indicate copper status in the human system in the context of moderate chronic occupational copper exposure requires a sophisticated and expensive method. Hence, a search for a suitable marker has been made and few studies have found potential in serum ceruloplasmin. In this context, the present study was initiated to explore whether ceruloplasmin could serve as a predictor of occupational copper exposure. An interviewer-administered questionnaire survey (personal, occupational and health-related information) was undertaken involving 185 employees of a copper handling industry. Serum alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum ceruloplasmin and serum copper were estimated in all the subjects. Multivariate analysis was undertaken using a linear regression model to understand the contribution of serum copper on serum ceruloplasmin values adjusting for the role of other confounders. Serum copper and serum ceruloplasmin values were found to have a statistically significant positive correlation (R=0.169, adjusted R2=0.024) after adjustment for other predictors like age, nature of job (department), job duration, smoking, serum alkaline phosphatase and SGPT. This study concludes that the serum ceruloplasmin level can act as a reliable indicator of copper status in the human body following copper exposure in cases of chronic moderate occupational exposure to copper.

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Acknowledgements

We hereby acknowledge Mr AM Suthar, Mr MM Patel, Mr U Desai, Mr V Rathod, Mr S Dodia and Ms S Patel for their cooperation and help during this study.

We hereby declare that this article is neither published nor under consideration for publication in any other journal. We also confirm that necessary consent was given from the concerned study subjects and the ethical committee as well as the scientific advisory committee of the National Institute of Occupational Health, India. The study was approved by the National Institute of Occupational Health, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Asim Saha

  2. National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Anil Karnik

  3. National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Natubhai Sathawara

  4. National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Pradip Kulkarni

  5. National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Vedprakash Singh

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  1. Asim Saha
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Correspondence to Asim Saha.

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Saha, A., Karnik, A., Sathawara, N. et al. Ceruloplasmin as a marker of occupational copper exposure. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 18, 332–337 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2008.2

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