ASSESSMENT OF EXPOSURE TO BUTADIENE IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRY

Occupational exposure levels to 1,3-butadiene (ED) are variable but ge nerally below 1 ppm in the European process industry. A preliminary an alysis showed that hemoglobin adduct levels of butadiene monoxide (BMO ) were increased among the worker groups with higher potential exposur e to ED (process work, bomb voiding, repair duties) than among less ex posed workers in maintenance and laboratory or control persons. In the same workers no exposure related effects were seen in the cytogenetic parameters studied, i.e. chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid ex changes or micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, the g lutathione-S-transferase polymorphism in the T1 gene might play a role in determining interindividual sensitivity to ED-induced chromosomal aberrations. Chromosomal aberrations (gaps excluded) were significantl y (P < 0.05) increased among the workers lacking the GSTT1 gene as com pared to the ED workers with the gene, while the other polymorphic GST M1 gene showed no association with the cytogenetic parameters. More wo rk needs to be done to study the adducts by other active ED metabolite s than BMO and the role of the genetic polymorphisms controlling the v ariability of individual responses.