title: Occupational risk assessment of oxidative stress and genotoxicity in workers exposed to paints during a working week.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Paints are complex mixtures of solvents and metals that can induce health damages in workers exposed to them. The aim of the present work was to evaluate possible oxidative and genotoxic effects in workers exposed to paints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood and buccal cell samples were collected from 33 workers exposed to paints and 29 non-exposed workers (controls) during an ordinary working week (Monday morning and Friday evening). Oxidative markers were assessed using thiobarbituric acid assay, carbonylated proteins, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Hippuric acid and delta-aminolevulinic acid were determined as biomarkers of toluene and lead exposure, respectively. Genotoxicity was measured through comet assay and micronucleus (MN) frequencies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The exposed group showed higher hippuric acid and delta-aminolevulinic acid levels (Friday samples) and lower superoxide dismutase activity (Monday samples) in relation to control group. DNA damage index (comet assay) was higher in the exposed group, both in Monday and Friday samples, compared to the control group. No differences were observed in frequency of micronuclei (MN) between the groups, either in lymphocytes or buccal cells. However, the exposed group presented an increase (Monday samples) in nuclear buds frequency in lymphocytes - a marker of gene amplification - as well as an increase in condensed chromatin in the buccal cells (Monday and Friday samples), suggesting induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, a decrease in the nuclear division index (Friday samples) was observed in the exposed group, indicating that paint exposure induces cytostatic effects in lymphocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that individuals exposed to paints have increased levels of DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Estresse Oxidativo e Antioxidantes, Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassini
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calloni
authors.forename: Giovana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bortolini
authors.forename: Solange Cristina
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dornelles
authors.forename: João Antônio Pêgas
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erdtmann
authors.forename: Mirian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvador
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000097:blood; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D006626:Hippurates / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006626:Hippurates; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C030514:hippuric acid