Metals exposures and telomere length as a marker of DNA damage among electronic waste workers and a reference group

Informal e-waste recycling releases complex mixtures of hazardous substances, including heavy metals that bioaccumulate in exposed populations—especially among e-waste workers. Emerging evidence links these metals to telomere shortening, a key marker of cellular aging and DNA damage which can lead to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This study therefore examined the effects of metal exposure on telomere length among e-waste workers in Agbogbloshie compared to non-e-waste workers in Madina. A total of 78 samples (53 e-waste workers and 25 controls), each with three repeated measurements, were selected from the GEOHealth II study and analyzed for telomere length using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling was employed to assess the association between metal exposure and telomere length. This study observed consistently shorter relative telomere length among the e-waste workers, particularly those involved in burning activities. Lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) levels were negatively associated with relative telomere length and zinc (Zn) showed a positive association while magnesium (Mg) exhibited a nonlinear relationship with telomere length. The consistently shorter relative telomere length among e-waste workers coinciding with higher concentrations of Cr and Pb implicates the role of metals in telomere shortening. Larger, long-term studies are recommended for future studies.