ABSTRACT
Petroleum derivatives constitute a complex mixture of chemicals which contain known genotoxicants. Thus, chronic occupational exposure to such derivatives may be considered to possess genotoxic risk. Service station attendants are workers exposed to petroleum derivatives and, as consequence, biomonitoring studies designed to evaluate the genetic risk are required. Here we present the data on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies, proliferation rate index (PRI) and cells with high frequency of SCE (HFC) from a group of 42 attendant workers. In addition, data from a group of 45 unexposed (controls) are presented. The results obtained indicate that there are no significant differences in SCE values between the exposed workers when compared to the non-exposed individuals. The only difference is found when smoking habit is considered, the smokers having significant increases in the SCE frequency. There is a slight increase in the HFC frequency of the occupationally exposed group but the difference did not attain statistical significance.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants/toxicity , Gasoline/toxicity , Lymphocytes/drug effects , Occupational Exposure , Sister Chromatid Exchange/drug effects , Adult , Air Pollutants/analysis , Alcohol Drinking , Benzene/analysis , Benzene/toxicity , Cell Division/drug effects , Cells, Cultured , Humans , Lymphocytes/physiology , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Statistical , Smoking , Time Factors , Toluene/analysis , Toluene/toxicity , Xylenes/analysis , Xylenes/toxicityABSTRACT
Service station attendants are workers that are definitely exposed to petroleum derivatives. Taking into account that this exposure has been considered to possess genotoxic risk, here we present data on the biomonitoring of a group of 50 service station workers and 43 controls. Micronuclei (MN) from peripheral blood lymphocytes has been considered as the genetic endpoint to be studied and, in addition, data on the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons at the workplace, urinary metabolites and differential white blood cell count have also been analysed. The results obtained indicate no significant differences between petrol station attendants and controls, when the effects of petrol exposure were investigated by differential white blood cell count and analysis of MN frequencies in phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. Regarding the urinary metabolites, a significant increase in the phenol level was found in the exposed workers.
