Genotoxic Effects On Photocopying Workers : A Statistical Investigation.

ABSTRACT

Photocopiers are a source of employment for a large number of people. The personnel working with photocopiers are commonly exposed to toners and their by-products during reloading and running of the machines. The main components of these toners are carbon black, styrene, resins, formaldehyde and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and they are known to be genotoxic. For possible genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to photocopying machines, the present study was undertaken on 29 exposed and 26 control subjects. DNA damage war studied on their peripheral blood leukocytes, using comet assay. DNA repair studies were also undertaken on 10 exposed and 10 control subjects. 50 cells per treatment per individual were scored for comet tail length which is an estimate of DNA damage. The control and the exposed groups show clear difference in the mean tail length of the comets and the standard deviations. The scatter in the individual measurements is also high in the exposed group as compared to the control group.