title: Cytogenetic study in workers occupationally exposed to mercury fulminate.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the cytogenetic effects in male workers exposed to mercury fulminate. A total of 29 male workers and 29 age- and sex-matched controls were examined. The mean mercury level in urine from the exposed workers was 123.2 +/- 54.1 micrograms/l compared with 39.2 +/- 11.1 micrograms/l in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.001). Metaphase chromosomes were studied. Micronucleated peripheral blood lymphocytes were also analyzed in cytochalasin B blocked binucleated lymphocytes. The percentage of metaphases with chromosomal aberrations was significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in the exposed group (6.1 +/- 2.3) compared to the control group (2.8 +/- 0.7). The chromosomal aberrations detected were in the form of gaps, breaks and fragments. A significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated lymphocytes was found among the exposed group (7.1 +/- 4.2) compared to the control group (5.4 +/- 2.2) (P less than 0.01). The detected chromosomal damage correlated neither with the duration of exposure nor with the urinary mercury level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gabal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003485:Cyanates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003485:Cyanates; C070787:mercury fulminate; D008628:Mercury