Impact of Heavy Metal Mining on Hepato-Renal Indices in Inhabitants of Enyigba, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Heavy metals can bioaccumulate and may become nephrotoxic at low concentrations. As developing countries becomes industrialized and urbanized, heavy metal pollution is likely to reach disturbing levels. This study was carried out to determine the impact of heavy metal mining on the hepato-renals parameters of some inhabitants in the lead-zinc area of Enyigba community in Ebonyi State. A total of 120 subjects (89 male and 31 female) comprising 60 artisan miners resident in the mining area (37.40 ± 9.08 years) and 60 control subjects (35.30± 9.59yrs) were randomly recruited into the study. Plasma levels of renal parameters and liver enzymes were determined using standard biochemical methods. The results showed non-significant difference (P>0.05) on the mean serum liver enzymes between the artisan miners and control subjects. There was also non-significant differences on the mean serum electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-) between the two groups while the serum creatinine was significantly higher in the artisan miners relative to the control (P<0.05). The results also indicate that the length of exposure as measured by the number of years residing in the community had no significant effect on the liver enzymes and renal parameters (P>0.05). The results generally indicate that the hepato-renal parameters of the artisan miners are within normal but do not imply that they may not be at risk to mining related diseases