<![CDATA[Background: Waste workers at the Supit Urang Landfill, Malang, Indonesia, are exposed to occupational inhalation hazards, including bacterial bioaerosols, VOCs, CH4, CO, and H2S. Chronic exposure to these agents may induce alveolar epithelial injury and inflammatory responses, potentially leading to increased serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) levels. KL-6 itself is a glycoprotein biomarker associated with lung epithelial injury and inflammation. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze serum KL-6 levels in relation to occupational exposure duration and type of work. Methods: This analytical observational study used a cross-sectional design. A total of 79 workers were categorized based on exposure duration (<5 years, 5–10 years, >10 years) and type of work (scavengers, waste sorters, waste processors, laboratory technicians). Measurement of serum KL-6 levels used ELISA. Then, group differences were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: KL-6 serum levels were higher among workers with >10 years of exposure (1170.3±621.4 U/mL) compared to the other groups (P=0.0001). KL-6 levels differed significantly across job types (P=0.402), with higher levels observed among scavengers (1049.6±586.6 U/mL). Conclusion: Serum KL-6 levels were associated with job type and showed a rising trend with longer exposure duration, particularly among workers with more than 10 years of occupational exposure.]]>
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