Cytogenetic Monitoring of Workers Exposed to Lead*
Alexander K. Vaglenov1, Stoyan G. Laltchev2, Maria
S. Nosko3, Sonya P. Pavlova4, Vera V. Petkova4,
and Atanas D. Karadjov1
1 National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection,
Sofia
2 Medical Genetics, Medical University, Sofia
3 Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Medical University, Sofia
4 Clinical Centre of Occupational Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
Corresponding author: Assoc. Prof. Alexander Vaglenov, M.D., Ph.D.
National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection
132 Kl. Ohridski Blvd., 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria
Fax: (02) 621059; Tel.: (02) 626037
Present address:
Departament de Genetica i de Microbiologia Grup de Mutagenesi Edifici Cn
08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) Spain
Tel.: +34 3 581 2597
Fax: +34 3 581 2387
* This work was partially supported by the grant from the
PKZNBA of the Bulgarian Government (HZ-13/92)
CEJOEM 1997, Vol.3. No.4.:298-308
Key words:
Cytogenetic monitoring, human lymphocyte micronucleus assay, occupational
exposure to lead, starter battery plant.
Abbreviations: CBMN = cytokinesis-block micronucleus method;
MN = micronuclei;
PbA = lead air concentration;
PbB = lead blood concentration;
SD = standard deviation;
Pb = lead.
Abstract:
A cytogenetic analysis was carried out by the cytokinesis-block method
in lymphocytes from peripheral blood of 73 male workers exposed to lead
from a starter battery manufacturing factory. For each person 1000 binuclear
cells were analysed. The examined workers comprised 4 different professional
groups. The concentrations of Pb in the air of the working sites (PbA mean
mg/m3 ± SD) being as follows: 0.7±0.5 for the 23 mill workers;
0.384±0.3 for the 21 assembly workers; 0.233±0.2 for the
20 plate stacking workers and 0.193±0.1 for the 9 formation workers.
The results were compared with the ones obtained for 23 males of the occupationally
unexposed administrative staff of the same factory (0.06±0.02 mg/m3
PbA). A definite expressed genotoxic effect of Pb was found in the exposed
workers from the four groups, and correlation was observed between the
external, internal exposure and micronucleus frequency (MN): 51.1±18.0‰
for the mill workers; 46.5±21.7 ‰ for the assembly workers; 37.3±14.8
‰ for the plate stacking workers; 35.2±15.3 ‰ for the formation
workers, and 20.1±9.0 ‰ for the control group. A linear dependency
of the genotoxic effect on the internal exposure was found: MN=33.2+8.21
per µmol/l Pb with a correlation coefficient, r=0.869. One year later,
in the repeated examination the mean incidences (from 22 individuals) were
close to each other, i.e. 38.0±14.0 ‰ (1992) and 36.0±14.0
‰ (1993), respectively. The frequencies of MN showed no differences between
lead exposed smokers and non smokers (p>0.05), while in the control group
smokers had significantly higher MN frequencies than nonsmokers (p<0.05).
Received: 11 March 1997
Accepted: 24 November 1997
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Posted: 16 November 1998