MICRONUCLEI ANALYSIS IN LYMPHOCYTES OF PESTICIDE SPRAYERS FROM CONCEPCION, CHILE

To estimate the genetic risk associated with pesticide exposure in a d efined population, the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blo od lymphocytes from a group of 22 pesticide sprayers from Concepcion, Chile, occupationally exposed to pesticide mixtures was evaluated. Aft er scoring 1,000 binucleated cells for each donor, no significant incr eases were observed either for the total number of MN or for binucleat ed cells with MN, when compared with a concurrent control population. In addition, when the effects of different confounding factors such as age, smoking, and drinking habits were considered, no significant eff ect was observed. Our conclusion is that, in this specific group of wo rkers and under the particular conditions of exposure to pesticides, w hen evaluated by the micronucleus assay, no genetic risk was detected. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.