Genotoxic Effect of Air Pollution in Different Areas of Budapest, Hungary
J. Major, M. G. Jakab, and A. Tompa
Department of Human Genotoxicology
National Institute of Occupational Health, Budapest, Hungary
CEJOEM 1997, Vol.3. No.4.:339
Air pollution caused serious health problems during the last decades in
Budapest, capital of Hungary. Air concentrations of soluble air particles,
SO2, NO2, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, and cadmium are significantly
higher in the inner town and in the industrial belt than in the green belts,
and are further increased during the heating season. The late toxic (i.e.
genotoxic) effect of the air pollution is a major factor of the cancer
risk of the urban population that is occupationally not exposed to genotoxic
agents. Such investigations also serve as controls for the genotoxicology
monitoring of occupational exposures. The aim of the present study was
to investigate the genotoxic effect of the air pollution as a function
of the living estates and seasonal changes on 177 subjects (mean age 38
years, range: 18–70 years) living in the green belts (45 donors), inner
town (43 donors) and industrial belt (87 donors) of the Budapest agglomeration.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes were prepared after venipuncture with written
permission of the donors for routine genotoxicology monitoring including
the measurement of the frequencies of structural and numerical chromosome
aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), HPRT point mutation
variation frequencies (VF), UV light induced unscheduled DNA synthesis
(UDS), lectine stimulation (LI) and proliferation indices (PRI). Routine
clinical laboratory and medical checkups including a detailed anamnesis
were also performed. Results of each study group were within the control
range compared with the published data. The lowest average yields were
obtained in those living in the green belts (CA = 0.25%; SCE = 6.41 per
mitoses; UDS = 5.56 rel. units; VF = 6.95×10–6, LI = 17.45%; PRI
= 2.29). Mean CAs and VFs of the inner town residents were increased when
compared with those of the green belts. However, donors working or living
in the industrial belt showed increased results of each studied genotoxicology
parameter compared with the other two groups. Heating seasons resulted
in further increases in genotoxicology parameters of each study group when
compared with those of the summer. Results, although within the control
range, indicate the harmful effect of the chronic low dose exposure to
air pollution that occurs in the inner town and the industrial belt of
Budapest even on subjects occupationally unexposed to genotoxic agents.
Consequently, beside the occupationally exposed subjects, a primary (cancer)
prevention of the urban population should also concentrate the efforts
upon the populations living or working in the inner town and industrial
belts.
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