[Genetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte of 1,3-butadiene workers].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the DNA and chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte of workers occupationally exposed to 1,3-butadiene (BD). METHODS: Personal information including occupational history, age, sex, smoking and drinking status was collected by the questionnaire. Gas chromatography was used to analyze the BD level. One hundred and eighty 1,3-butadiene workers and 58 controls without occupational BD exposure were investigated. Comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) detection were used to evaluate DNA and chromosomal damage levels in peripheral blood lymphocyte. RESULTS: The concentration of BD in the working environment of BD-exposed workers was 1.80 (0.59-2.76) mg/m3. The rate of CBMN, NPB, NBUD and Olive TM of lymphocyte in BD-exposed workers [(6.76 +/- 4.99) per thousand, 1.00 (0.00-4.00), 2.00 (0.00-7.00) and 4.64 (3.50-5.98), respectively] were higher than those in controls [(3.10 +/- 2.65) per thousdand, 0.00 (0.00-2.80), 1.00 (0.00- 5.00) and 2.34 (0.82-3.93), P < 0.01]. According to the length of work, 180 BD-exposed workers were classified into 3 groups 1 yrs-, 14.0 yrs- and 20.0 yrs-group, respectively after adjusting the age,sex, smoking and drinking, the rate of CBMN was a rising tendency along with the increase in length of work. CONCLUSION: Under present BD exposure levels, both comet assay and Cytokinesis-block micronucleus test could detect BD-induced genotoxicity in BD-exposed workers, and are more suitable to assess the cumulative damage effect on DNA.