Project title: Measurement of blood chromium and biomarker of oxidative stress

and their correlation with pulmonary functions in tannery workers of Bangladesh.

Abstract:

Background: Tannery workers are exposed to many chemical compounds during

their daily work activities. Among them, chromium is the most harmful element.
Deterioration of pulmonary functions is one of the major hazards of chromium
exposure. It also induces oxidative stress. So, there is a higher risk of developing
acute and chronic respiratory diseases in tannery workers as they are exposed to
chromium for prolonged period.

Objective: The present study will be carried out to assess blood chromium and
biomarker of oxidative stress levels and their correlation with pulmonary functions
in tannery workers of Dhaka city.

Method: A cross-sectional study will be conducted in the Department of

Physiology of Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka from July 2015 to June 2016. A total
of 70 subjects will be selected with the age ranging from 20 to 45 years. Among
them, 35 tannery workers will be considered as the study group and 35 age and
BMI matched healthy adult males will be considered as control group for
comparison. The subjects will be selected from different tanneries in Hazaribagh at
Dhaka city and through personal contact on the basis of exclusion and inclusion
criteria. The study parameters will include blood chromium, which will be
estimated in the laboratory of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka;
plasma malondialdehyde, which will be estimated in the Institute of Nutrition and
Food Science, University of Dhaka; and pulmonary function test (FVC, FEV 1,
FEV1/FVC, PEFR), which will be estimated in the Department of Physiology of
Dhaka Medical College. Data will be collected in pre-designed structured
questionnaire form by the researcher himself. The data will be analyzed by
computer based statistical software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences)
Version 20.

Result: Result will be presented as mean and standard deviation (mean SD).
Comparison between two groups will be done by unpaired Students t test and
associations between variables will be measured by Chi Square test accordingly,
where applicable P value of <0.05 will be considered as significant.

Discussion: On the basis of the results discussion will be made.

Conclusion: On the basis of result & discussion, conclusion will be made.