Increased cytogenetic damage in outdoor painters.
Painters are exposed to an extensive variety of hazardous substances such as organic solvents, lead-containing pigments and residual plastic monomers. In this particular case, workers used commercially available exterior paints and occasionally gasoline or thinner as solvents. The application or removal of paints was performed without protection (masks or gloves). To determine occupational exposure risk, a monitoring study was designed. Group selection was made after a questionnaire administration, which included questions about lifestyle and medical history to exclude exposure to other potential sources of genotoxics. Smoking and drinking habits were also considered. Blood and buccal cell samples were obtained from 25 public building male painters and from a similar number of age- and gender-matched controls. Lead levels were measured in paint samples and in individuals' blood. Organic solvents and/or its metabolites were also determined in blood. Chromosomal aberrations (CA) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were determined in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures. Also, the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in buccal cells was investigated. Painters had higher lead levels in blood (p<0.05); CA and SCE in lymphocytes and MN in epithelial cells were also elevated (p<0.05). Cytogenetic damage was significantly associated with occupational exposure time but not with the levels of lead found in blood.
Pinto
D
D
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "H. Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mexico.
Ceballos
J M
JM
García
G
G
Guzmán
P
P
Del Razo
L M
LM
Vera
E
E
Gómez
H
H
García
A
A
Gonsebatt
M E
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000235:genetics*; D012907:Smoking
D000393:Air Pollutants; D007854:Lead