Effects of coke production factors on some hematological and biochemical parameters in workers

Introduction. Coke chemical industry is noted for workers’ exposure to a whole range of adverse occupational factors, including chemical pollutants, poor microclimate, noise, vibration, and heavy physical work. Hemotoxic and carcinogenic benzene and its homologues pose a particular hazard. Studying the general mechanisms of their effects is a priority area of ​​fundamental hygiene science.

The aim of the study. To examine health effects of harmful occupational factors in coke workers by duration of current employment.

Materials and Methods. We tested peripheral blood samples taken from coke workers exposed to benzene and phenol and compared the results with those of the controls matched by sex and age but unexposed to these chemicals. We analyzed working conditions, hematological and biochemical parameters.

Results. The correlation and regression analysis revealed a number of relationships between certain red blood cell and platelet parameters and occupational exposure duration and showed altered cellular and biochemical blood parameters. Significant changes in markers of hypoxia were observed in the exposed workers.

Limitations. These are determined by the scope of the study, which focused on working conditions and the health status in workers at a single coke plant. The small sample size precludes definitive cause-and-effect conclusions regarding the factors affecting hematological disorders. The study considered only the effect of harmful industrial factors on deviations in hematological and biochemical indices in workers.

Conclusions. The established alterations show inhibition of general resistance in coke workers exposed to occupational hazards. Our findings can serve as the basis for developing measures for the timely detection and prevention of disease risks. Only harmful production factors were observed in terms of deviations in hematological and biochemical parameters among workers in various workshops.

Compliance with ethical standards. All data were analyzed in a depersonalized form; therefore, approval from the ethics committee was not required.

Contribution:
Shabardina L.V. – data collection and analysis, draft manuscript preparation;
Minigalieva I.A., Sutunkova M.P., Fedoruk A.A. – study conception and design, editing;
Panov V.G., Mikushina N.A. – data analysis.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: October 30, 2025 / Accepted: December 2, 2025 / Published: March 13, 2026

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