Aerial pesticide application causes DNA damage in pilots from Sinaloa, Mexico.
The use of pesticides in agricultural production originates residues in the environment where they are applied. Pesticide aerial application is a frequent source of exposure to pesticides by persons dedicated to agricultural practices and those living in neighboring communities of sprayed fields. The aim of the study was to assess the genotoxic effects of pesticides in workers occupationally exposed to these chemicals during their aerial application to agricultural fields of Sinaloa, Mexico. The study involved 30 pilots of airplanes used to apply pesticides via aerial application and 30 unexposed controls. Damage was evaluated through the micronucleus assay and by other nuclear abnormalities in epithelial cells of oral mucosa. The highest frequency ratios (FR) equal to 269.5 corresponded to binucleated cells followed by 54.2, corresponding to cells with pyknotic nuclei, 45.2 of cells with chromatin condensation, 3.7 of cells with broken-egg, 3.6 of cells with micronucleus, and 2.0 of karyolytic cells. Age, worked time, smoking, and alcohol consumption did not have significant influence on nuclear abnormalities in the pilots studied. Pesticide exposure was the main factor for nuclear abnormality results and DNA damage. Marked genotoxic damage was developed even in younger pilots with 2 years of short working period, caused by their daily occupational exposure to pesticides.
Instituto de Investigación en Ambiente y Salud, Universidad de Occidente, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. camava9@gmail.com.
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http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1784-9986
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Martínez-Valenzuela
Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Waliszewski
Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
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Amador-Muñoz
Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Meza
Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
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Calderón-Segura
Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
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Zenteno
Instituto de Investigación en Ambiente y Salud, Universidad de Occidente, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
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Huichapan-Martínez
Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Caba
Instituto de Investigación en Ambiente y Salud, Universidad de Occidente, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
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Félix-Gastélum
Instituto de Investigación en Ambiente y Salud, Universidad de Occidente, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
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Longoria-Espinoza
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000070356:Pilots; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult
D010575:Pesticides
Aerial sprayers; Micronucleus; Pesticides; Pilots