16 research outputs found
Assessment of DNA damage in ceramic workers
It is known that ceramic workers are potentially exposed to complex
mixture of chemicals such as silica, inorganic lead, lime, beryllium and
aluminum that can be associated with an increased risk of several
diseases. All operations in the ceramic industries such as mixing,
moulding, casting, shaking out and finishing jobs, have been associated
with the higher exposure levels and in most of the silica-related
industries, average overall exposure exceeded permissible exposure
levels for respirable crystalline silica. The aim of this study was to
evaluate the possible genotoxic damage in ceramic workers exposed to
complex mixture of chemicals mainly crystalline silica. For this
purpose, the blood and buccal epithelial cell samples were taken from
the ceramic workers (n = 99) and their controls (n = 81). The
genotoxicity was assessed by the alkaline comet assay in isolated
lymphocytes and whole blood. Micronucleus (MN), binucleated (BN),
pyknotic (PYC), condensed chromatin (CC), karyolytic (KYL),
karyorrhectic (KHC) and nuclear bud (NBUD) frequencies in buccal
epithelial cells and plasma 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine
(8-oxodG) levels were also evaluated. In the study, 38 workers were
diagnosed with silicosis, 9 workers were suspected to have silicosis,
whereas 52 workers were found to be healthy. DNA damage in blood and
lymphocytes; MN, CC + KHC, PYC frequencies in buccal epithelial cells
and 8-oxodG levels in plasma were increased in workers compared to their
controls. These results showed that occupational chemical mixture
exposure in ceramic industry may cause genotoxic damage that can lead to
important health problems in the workers