Antioxidant vitamins in Benin bronze casters and their environmental cohorts: A preliminary nutritional assessment

The process of bronze casting often leads to prolonged exposure to air pollutants, heavy metals, and potentially hazardous working conditions. Understanding the levels of antioxidant vitamins among the Benin bronze casters is vital because their exposure to environmental pollutants and potential occupational hazards may increase their oxidative stress levels. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the levels of antioxidant vitamins; A, C, and E in Benin bronze casters. A total of ninety (90) consenting participants were recruited for this study; They included foundry workers (bronze casters), randomly selected individuals around the foundry site (environmental), and healthy unexposed individuals (control). Vitamins A, C, and E levels were determined using  pectrophotometry. Data obtained was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The findings revealed that vitamin A levels were significantly lower in bronze casters (36.06±9.15) when compared to environmental (58.57±41.05) and control groups (62.61±51.12) (p<0.05). Vitamin C levels were significantly lower in bronze casters (0.53±0.14) when compared to the environmental group (1.02±0.53) and the control group (1.55±0.37) (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant reduction in vitamin C levels in the environmental group when compared to the control group (p<0.05). Vitamin E levels were significantly lower in bronze casters (5.14±1.92) and environmental (6.28±3.32) groups when compared to the control group (11.49±3.75) (p<0.05). There was a strong positive correlation between vitamin A and vitamin C (r=-0.589, p=0.001). Vitamin C showed a strong positive correlation with vitamin E levels (r=0.562, p=0.001). In conclusion, the lower vitamin levels suggest an increased vulnerability to oxidative stress, which occupational hazards and environmental factors, such as exposure to metal toxins and pollutants may exacerbate.