Cytogenetic monitoring of croatian population occupationally exposed to a complex mixture of pesticides

• Published in: Toxicology (Amsterdam) Vol. 165; no. 2; pp. 153 - 162
• Main Authors: Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera, Zeljezic, Davor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28.08.2001; Amsterdam Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; alachlor; Biological and medical sciences; Biomonitoring; Chromosomal aberrations; Chromosome Aberrations; Comet Assay; Croatia; cyanazine; DNA Damage - genetics; DNA Repair - drug effects; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - drug effects; Micronucleus frequency; Micronucleus Tests; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; Occupational Exposure; Pesticides; Pesticides - adverse effects; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Sister Chromatid Exchange - drug effects; Sister chromatid exchanges; Toxicology; Europe; Croatia; Biomonitoring; Sister chromatid exchanges; Micronucleus frequency; Chromosomal aberrations; Comet assay; Pesticides; Human; Mutagenicity testing; Toxicity; Genotoxicity; Occupational exposure; Epidemiology; Toxic association; Mixture; Blood; Biological monitoring; Follow up study; DNA; Cytogenetics; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0300-483X; 1879-3185
• DOI: 10.1016/S0300-483X(01)00419-X

This paper describes a longitudinal study of possible genetic damage in Croatian workers occupationally exposed to a complex mixture of pesticides. The methods of choice were chromosomal aberration analysis, sister chromatid exchange analysis (SCE), micronucleus assay and comet assay. In order to determine primary genotoxic effects in workers, blood samples were taken after the workers spent 8 months in the production of pesticides. During the production all subjects were simultaneously exposed to a complex mixture of pesticides containing atrazine, alachlor, cyanazine, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and malathion. To detect DNA repair in lymphocytes of the same subjects the second series of blood samples was taken 8 months after the workers were removed from production. Regardless of the time sampling time the exposed workers showed an increased number of chromosomal aberrations, SCE frequency, micronucleus (MN) frequency, and values of comet assay parameters. After 8 months of non-exposure the workers showed a significantly decreased number of chromosomal aberrations, MN frequency, and DNA migration compared to the results of the first sampling, but it was still significantly higher than in controls. Furthermore, the SCE frequency in the exposed subjects did not drop after the 8 months of non-exposure, which indicates long-term exposure to a mixture of pesticides.