Impact of Cement Dust Exposure on Liver Function in Exposed Individuals

Background and Objective: Exposure to cement dust presents serious threats to one's health at work, especially for construction workers. Its possible effects on liver function are still little understood, despite the well-established benefits on respiratory and skin health. This study investigates the effects of cement dust exposure on liver function among construction workers in Akala Express, focusing on biomarkers such as AST, ALT, ALP, Bilirubin, Albumin, and Total Protein. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on the smoker and nonsmoker students in the University of Babylon, and all the blood samples were collected between November, 2023 to January, 2024. As 50 exposed and 50 non-exposed people, matched for age and demographics, participated in a case-control study. Standardized biochemical techniques were used to gather blood samples and test them for liver indicators. To do statistical analysis, SPSS version 24.0 was used. The data was summarized using descriptive statistics, and the amounts of biomarkers in each group were compared using independent t-tests. The association between exposure length and liver dysfunction was evaluated using Chi-square testing. Results: ALT levels were significantly lower in the exposed group (29.23±10.54 IU/L) compared to the control group (38.32±19.26 IU/L, p = 0.004). Other biomarkers, including AST (37.95±13.09 vs 33.5±12.13 IU/L, p = 0.081), ALP (76.94±23.07 vs 70.6±26.29 IU/L, p = 0.203), Albumin (4.06±0.75 vs 4.19±1.04 g/L, p = 0.457), and Total Protein (7.19±0.95 vs 7.37±1.37 g/L, p = 0.443) showed no statistically significant differences. The prevalence of liver dysfunction was 8% in the exposed group and 0% in the control group. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between longer exposure durations and liver dysfunction (p = 0.026). Conclusion: Prolonged exposure to cement dust significantly reduces ALT levels, indicating potential liver stress. However, other liver biomarkers remained within normal ranges, suggesting that adaptive mechanisms may mitigate severe damage. The results highlight the importance of enforcing protective measures and conducting longitudinal studies to better understand long-term effects.