Abstract

FREQUENCY OF MICRONUCLEI IN EXFOLIATED BUCCAL EPITHELIAL CELLS OF SAND MOLDING FOUNDRY WORKERS IN TAMILNADU, SOUTH INDIA

SARANYA. R. S., SUDHA, S*.

*Molecular diagnosis and drug discovery laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of life sciences, Karpagam University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract

Occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances and metals has been reported in foundries. In the present investigation, totally 74 foundry workers involved in sand molding process and 52 control subjects with similar mean ages, smoking prevalence and alcohol consumption were enrolled for the analysis of micronucleus (MN) as a measure of genotoxicity in exfoliated cells of buccal mucosa. For each individual, 2,000 exfoliated buccal cells were analyzed. There was a significantly higher frequency of micronucleated cells in the exposed workers (4.96±0.72) to silica than in the unexposed control population (1.89±0.37). Smoking and drinking (alcohol) habits, age and length of occupation represent significant factors in terms of increased MN frequency in the exposed population. Further research is needed with large sample size to confirm the relationship between the exposure and MN frequency.

Keywords: Cytogenetic damage, Biomarker, Silica, Occupational exposure.