engleski

Detection of genome damage in workers employed in pesticide production by comet assay

Due to widespread use of pesticides concern for their possible threat to human health has been increasing. During the last 3 decades many toxicological evidences of the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of several pesticides have been provided. These findings together with the fact that a large population of workers is exposed to such compunds, suggest that the evaluation of their genotoxicity should be extended using different assays available. In our present work we have been tested possible genetic damage on a population of workers occupationally exposed to a mixture of pesticides (atrazine, alachlor, cyanazine, 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, malathion) during their production. Cytogenetic evaluation was conducted using comet assay as relatively new powerful technique for detection of DNA breaks and damage at alkali sensitive sites according to Singh et al. The extent of DNA migration, presented as the endpoints of the comet assay, was greater in subjects of the exposed group compared to the unexposed subjects choosen from the general population. Lymphocytes of the occupationally exposed subjects manifested higher amount of DNA damage measured by tail length (mean value 50.13um), compared to the control group (mean value 13.06). The mean value of the tail moment calculated for workers employed in pesticide production was60.85, whereas in the control group it appeared to be 10.33. All comet data are significantly different for the groups tested. Results suggest that the comet assay, as a rapid method, could be sensitive enough to be used as screening assay in the detection of genome damage caused by long time occupational exposure to pesticides.

genome; lymphocytes; pesticides; occupational exposure; comet assay

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