Determination of Antioxidant Enzyme Activities among Academic and Non-Academic Staff of Federal University Wukari

Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defenses, and occupational stress may influence this balance. This study compared superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities between academic and non-academic staff at Federal University Wukari. A cross-sectional comparative study involved 60 participants, comprising 30 academic and 30 non-academic staff. Venous blood samples (5 mL) were collected, processed, and analyzed using spectrophotometric methods. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with independent-samples t-tests used for group comparisons and statistical significance set at p < .05. Academic staff exhibited significantly higher activities of all three antioxidant enzymes. Mean SOD activity was 12.4 ± 2.1 U/mg protein among academic staff, compared with 10.1 ± 1.8 U/mg among non-academic staff (p = .003). Corresponding CAT activities were 45.6 ± 5.3 and 42.2 ± 4.9 U/mg (p = .045), while GPx activities were 8.9 ± 1.2 and 7.5 ± 1.0 U/mg (p = .008), respectively. These findings indicate differences in antioxidant enzyme activities between occupational groups, with consistently higher activities among academic staff. The study provides comparative biochemical evidence relevant to staff wellness and highlights the potential value of wellness interventions and stress management strategies tailored to occupational roles within universities.