Effect of Occupational Exposure to Multiple Pesticides on Translocation Yield and Chromosomal Aberrations in Lymphocytes of Plant Workers

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 43; no. 16; pp. 6370 - 6377
• Main Authors: Zeljezic, Davor, Vrdoljak, Ana Lucic, Lucas, Joe N, Lasan, Ruzica, Fucic, Aleksandra, Kopjar, Nevenka, Katic, Jelena, Mladinic, Marin, Radic, Bozica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.08.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Applied sciences; Case-Control Studies; Chromosome Aberrations - drug effects; Chromosome Painting; Chromosomes; Correlation analysis; Ecotoxicology and Human Environmental Health; Effects; Exact sciences and technology; Female; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Health risk assessment; Human exposure; Humans; Industry; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Lymphocytes - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Occupational Health; Pesticides; Pesticides - adverse effects; Pesticides - poisoning; Pollution; Translocation, Genetic - drug effects; Translocation; Pesticides; Occupational exposure; Painting; Non smoker; Health and environment; Correlation analysis; Smoker; Risk assessment; Health hazards; Public health; Organic compounds; Smoking
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es900824t

Employees handling pesticides are simultaneously exposed to different active substances. Occurring multiple chemical exposures may pose a higher risk than it could be deduced from studies evaluating the effect of a single substance. This study comprised 32 pesticide plant workers exposed to carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl, and dodine and an equal number of control subjects. Groups were matched by age (43.8 ± 10.16 vs 41.8 ± 7.42, respectively), sex (14 females; 18 males), and smoking (11 smokers; 21 nonsmokers). Chromosome aberration and translocation frequencies were determined using a standard aberration assay and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) by applying painting probes for chromosomes 1, 2, and 4. Although significant, an observed increase in chromatid breaks (5.2 ± 2.49) compared to controls (2.1 ± 0.87), p PostHoc = 0.000001 is biologically irrelevant. Genomic frequency of translocations was also significantly elevated (exposed 0.0165 ± 0.0070; control 0.0051 ± 0.0023, p PostHoc = 0.0000004). The distribution of translocations among chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 did not differ from control subjects. It corresponded to the distribution of DNA content among selected chromosomes indicating randomness of DNA damage. A good translocation yield correlation within years spent in pesticide production indicates that multiple pesticide exposure may pose a risk to genome integrity. However, for more accurate health risk assessments, the use of probes for some other groups of chromosomes should be considered.