Genotoxic risk assessment in white blood cells of

Authors: B Marczynski R Preuss T Mensing J Angerer A Seidel A El Mourabit M Wilhelm T Brüning

Publish Date: 2005/02/22

Volume: 78, Issue: 2, Pages: 97-108

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Abstract

Objective Workers in various industries can be exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs The relationship between biomarkers of genotoxic risk PAH compounds in air ambient monitoring and PAH metabolites in urine internal exposure were studied in 17 workers exposed to PAHs in a fireproofmaterial producing plant before and 3 months after the PAH profile was altered in the binding pitch Methods Two biomarkers of exposure specific DNA adducts of ±r7t8dihydroxyt910oxy78910tetrahydrobenzoapyrene antiBPDE and nonspecific DNA adduct of 8oxo78dihydro2‘deoxyguanosine 8oxodGuo were determined in white blood cells WBCs In addition DNA strand breaks were analysed in lymphocytes by singlecell gel electrophoresis in a genotoxic risk assessment Sixteen PAH compounds in air were determined by personal air sampling and hydroxylated metabolites of phenanthrene pyrene and naphthalene were determined in urine Results After substitution of the binding pitch the concentrations of benzoapyrene in air decreased P001 No changes could be observed for pyrene while levels of phenanthrene P=00013 and naphthalene P=00346 in air increased Consequently median DNA adduct rates of antiBPDE decreased after alteration of the production material from 09 to 05 adducts/108 nucleotides No changes in the excretion of 1hydroxypyrene in urine could be determined whereas increased levels of 1 2+9 3 and 4hydroxyphenanthrene P00001 and 1naphthol and 2naphthol P=00072 were found in urine In addition a statistically significant increase in DNA strand break frequencies P001 and elevated 8oxodGuo adduct levels P=07819 not statistically significant were found in the WBCs of exposed workers 3 months after the PAH profile in the binding pitch had been altered Conclusion The results presented here show that the increased concentration of naphthalene and/or phenanthrene in the air at the work place could induce the formation of DNA strand breaks and alkalilabile sites in WBCs of exposed workersWe thank Anja Bracht Beate Engelhardt and Elke Schomberg Bochum for expert technical support and Drs HC Broding T Merz J Müller and K Meyer Erlangen for medical and technical assistance This study was kindly sponsored by the “Hauptverband der gewerblichen Berufsgenossenschaften” Sankt Augustin Germany

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