title: Biological monitoring of workers in the rubber industry. I. Chromosomal aberrations and sister-chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of vulcanizers.
abstract: To evaluate the possible genetic consequences of the industrial exposure among the vulcanizers of a rubber plant we measured the in vivo levels of chromosomal aberrations and sister-chromatid exchanges in peripheral lymphocytes of 34 vulcanizers and in an adequate control population. The observed chromosomal aberration frequencies were 1.9 +/- 1.4 aberrations/100 cells in the exposed group and 2.1 +/- 1.5 aberrations/100 cells in the controls. No difference was found between the two groups for the mean value of sister-chromatid exchanges (5.2 +/- 1.3 in the exposed, 5.2 +/- 0.7 in the control group). Cigarette-smoking was clearly associated with increased sister-chromatid exchange frequencies both in the exposed and in the control groups, while chromosomal aberration frequencies were not correlated with smoking habits.
mesh_terms: D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012408:Rubber; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
chemical_list: D012408:Rubber