RESUMEN
The authors studied chromosomal aberrations in blood lymphocytes of 100 miners in coal mines of Kuznetsk coal field, with underground length of service over 15 years. Reference data were collected by cytogenetic analysis in a group of workers with long length of service in Kemerovo thermal power plant, contacting coal dust (n = 104) and in healthy males of the same age group, residents of Kemerovo city, without occupational contact with mutagenes (n = 194). The miners appeared to have maximal frequency of structural chromosomal injuries--5.37%. In the workers of thermal power plant, this value was considerably lower than in the miners (4.23%; p < 0.01), but not exceeding the values obtained in the reference groups (1.07%; p < 0.0001). Analysis of qualitative spectrum of chromosomal structural changes revealed that the miners have higher frequency of both chromosomal and chromatid type aberrations. Differences in chromosomal aberrations frequency between the miners and the thermal power plant workers are mostly due to chromosomal type aberrations. This points to significant role of chemical and radiation factors contribution into chromosomal mutagenesis in miners.