Mutagenesis Advance Access originally published online on November 14, 2008
Mutagenesis 2009 24(2):143-148; doi:10.1093/mutage/gen060
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Occupational risk assessment of genotoxicity and oxidative stress in workers handling anti-neoplastic drugs during a working week
1Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil 2Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica/Curso de Farmácia, Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil 3Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Bilogia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
Twenty pharmacists and nurses handling anti-neoplastic drugs in a hospital were monitored during a working week, from Monday to Friday, in the morning (only on Monday) and afternoon (all days). Genotoxicity was analysed by the comet assay and the micronucleus (MN) test, while oxidative stress was analysed in serum by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and by measurements of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (Sod) and catalase (Cat). The exposed workers presented increased DNA damage levels by the comet assay as compared to the controls. The comet assay results have also shown significant positive correlation with the day of the week and with alcohol consumption. MN frequency was significantly higher in the exposed workers and presented noteworthy correlation with age and working time. In the oxidative stress parameters, only Cat presented a significant increase in the exposed group, considering all the samplings. However, TBARS data showed interesting results, considering the different sampling times; the exposed group presented a significant correlation with the working days and significantly higher results on Friday as compared to the controls and Monday morning. Monitoring occupational risk during a longer time, e.g. during a working week as done in this study, introduces additional aspects of risk behaviour, which can improve risk management. This study demonstrates the usefulness of evaluating oxidative stress also in genotoxic risk assessment since both events often result from the same factors.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Av Farroupilha 8001, sala 122 prédio 01, CEP 92425-900, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Tel: +55 51 34774000; Fax: +55 51 3477 9214; Email: jenifer.saffi{at}ulbra.br
Received on May 21, 2008; revised on September 22, 2008; accepted on September 23, 2008.