HUMAN CYTOGENETIC BIOMONITORING OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO 1,3-BUTADIENE

The association of occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene and chromoso mal damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes was studied in 40 workers f rom two production facilities. Control persons, 30 in all, were chosen from other departments of the same plants, and they were roughly matc hed for age and smoking habits. The exposure levels to ambient butadie ne were measured both by personal sampling using diffuse monitors and by stationary sampling at production and handling sites. Chromosome ab errations (CA), micronuclei (MN) and sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) in peripheral lymphocytes were analyzed as markers of exposure. Smokin g had a slight effect on the frequency of MN, and the mean frequency o f SCEs was also higher in smokers than in non-smokers. No effect of sm oking, however, was seen in relation to chromosomal aberrations. No ex posure related effects were seen in any of the three cytogenetic endpo ints in either of the butadiene production plants, representing typica l low (below 3 ppm) exposure levels of the butadiene manufacturing ind ustry.