Mutant frequencies in workers at the Sellafield installation.
The frequency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) mutations has been determined in the peripheral T-lymphocytes of 18 workers at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing installation with cumulative recorded radiation doses of about 500 mSv or more in comparison with a matched control group of 18 workers with doses less than 50 mSv. The mean dose of the exposed group was 663 mSv (range 449.3-880.8), and of the unexposed group 10.9 mSv (range 0-46.5). During the most recent 6 y the mean doses were 40.1 mSv (range 1.9-93.9) and 2.3 mSv (range 0-8.7), respectively. The logarithmic mean mutant frequency of the exposed group (9.3 x 10(-6)) was lower than that of the unexposed group (12.4 x 10(-6)). The apparent inverse association of mutant frequency and exposure varied in statistical significance tests from borderline to p < 0.01 depending on how the analysis was performed and whether recent or total exposure was considered.
MRC Cell Mutation Unit, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton.
J
J
Cole
C F
CF
Arlett
M H
MH
Green
D
D
Holdsworth
E J
EJ
Tawn
B A
BA
Bridges
D006801:Humans; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011831:Radiation Genetics; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012907:Smoking; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D006113:United Kingdom
D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase