Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Status and DNA Damage in a Mercury Exposure Workers Hasan F. Al-azzawie, Akram Umran and Nadhem H. Hyader Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Iraq Abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate changes in peripheral markers of oxidative stress, oxidative DNA damage and some biochemical markers during chronic HgCl 2 intoxication and to examine how the workers respond chronically to this pollutant. Fifty (50) fasting male workers, age range 28-61 years exposed to mercury in a chloroalkali factory at Al-Furat company in Babylon governorate, range duration period 5-18 years and 30 controls matched for age, diet and other demographic characteristics except exposure to chemicals were selected. Lipid peroxidation marker Malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant status markers enzymatic Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), non enzymatic antioxidant markers, Glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, vitamin E and oxidative DNA damage by comet assay were determined. Blood Mercury levels were significantly higher in the workers G2 and G3 groups compared with controls group G1 (p
