title: Biomarker monitoring of a population residing near uranium mining activities.
abstract: We investigated whether residents residing near uranium mining operations (target population), who are potentially exposed to toxicants from mining waste, have increased genotoxic effects compared with people residing elsewhere (reference population). Population surveys were conducted, and 24 target and 24 reference residents were selected. The selected subjects and controls were matched on age and gender and they were nonsmokers. Blood samples were collected for laboratory studies. The standard cytogenetic assay was used to determine chromosome aberration frequencies, and the challenge assay was used to investigate DNA repair responses. We found that individuals who resided near uranium mining operations had a higher mean frequency of cells with chromosome aberrations and higher deletion frequency but lower dicentric frequency than the reference group, although the difference was not statistically significant. After cells were challenged by exposure to gamma-rays, the target population had a significantly higher frequency of cells with chromosome aberrations and deletion frequency than the reference group. The latter observation is indicative of abnormal DNA repair response in the target population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1110, USA.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Legator
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Whorton
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gabehart
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004249:DNA Damage; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008906:Mining; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D014501:Uranium; D011886:Radon