Abstract This study was carried out to determine the concentrations of trace elements in carpenters exposed to sawdust within Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers state. A total of thirty carpenters exposed to sawdust were compared with twenty-six apparently healthy individuals who work in an offices setting far away from saw dust as control. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to estimate the plasma concentrations of zinc, cobalt, selenium and copper in all subjects. The mean concentrations of zinc, cobalt, selenium and copper for carpenters is 0.785 ± 0.111mg/l, 0.028 ± 0.011mg/l, 0.303 ± 0.238mg/l, and 0.236 ± 0.048mg/l respectively while the concentrations in control are 0.705± 0.106mg/l,0.032 ± 0.230mg/l, 0.785 ± 0.106mg/l and 0.796 ± 0.172mg/l. The result showed that Zinc concentration is significantly higher (P<0.05) in carpenters exposed to sawdust compared to control while cobalt concentration was not significantly deferent in carpenters exposed to sawdust when compared to control (P>0.05). However selenium and copper concentrations were significantly lower (P<0.05) in carpenter expose to sawdust when compared to control. The study has shown that sawdust caused changes in trace elements among carpenters.
Keywords Trace elements, Zinc, Cobalt, Sawdust, Carpenters.