Exposure to organic solvents and cytogenetic damage in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa from shoe workers

Abstract

Purpose: We determined the solvents mainly used in shoe making and their genotoxic effects.

Methods: Thirty-four exposed shoe workers and 34 unexposed control subjects, paired by age and sex, were compared. Occupational exposure was determined by using monitors 3M. Solvents were assessed by gas chromatography. Exfoliated buccal cells were obtained from each subject to determine the incidence of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities. One thousand cells were counted in each subject.

Results: Solvents detected were acetone, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, and toluene. The incidence of nuclear abnormalities was significatively higher in the exposed group when compared to the control group. A positive relationship between the incidence of micronuclei and the toluene concentration in the environment was found.

Conclusions: Toluene shows an important genotoxic effect. As the micronuclei test is an effective, fast, simple and low cost biomarker to identify cytogenetic effects, we suggest its utilization as a preventive test of genotoxicity.