Chronic exposure to gasoline: evaluation of immunological and genotoxic effects among filling station workers

ABSTRACT

Workers in gasoline service stations experience relatively high level exposures to fuel vapors, their consequences have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the relationship between occupational exposure to gasoline and immunotoxicity and genotoxicity was investigated. Sixty male non smoking workers in gasoline service stations were enrolled in this study; 30 of them have been exposed to gasoline for 3-5 years [group I] and the other 30 have been exposed for more than five years [group II]. Twenty non smoking males with no occupational exposure to gasoline were used as a control group. In conclusion, this study showed that occupational exposure to gasoline increases the risk of immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. This risk increases with increased duration of gasoline exposure