Chromosomal aberrations and frequency of micronuclei in workers employed in pesticide production

The possible genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to complex pesticid e mixture in workers employed in pesticide production were studied. Two dif ferent cytogenetic assays on cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes were use d: the analysis of structural chromosomal aberrations and the micronucleus assay. A significantly increased number of chromatid and chromosome breaks as well as the presence of dicentric chromosomes and chromatid exchanges (t etraradii) in exposed subjects regarding to the control subjects (P < 0.05) . There was also statistically significant difference in frequency and dist ribution of micronuclei between the two groups examined (exposed and contro l). These results suggest that occupational exposure to pesticides could be able of causing genome damages in somatic cells.