Cytogenetic investigation of women exposed to different levels of dioxins in Chapaevsk town

Three groups of women (aged 20-40 years) exposed to different levels of dio xins were studied in Chapaevsk town: 15 women working at the chemical ferti lizer plant where occupational exposure to dioxins is possible; 16 women wi thout dioxins occupational exposure, but living as far as 1-3 km from the p lant; 14 women without dioxins occupational exposure and living as far as 5 -8 km from the plant. No personal correlation related to dioxins exposure w as found by chromosome aberrations (CA) in peripheral blood lymphocytes, mi cronuclei (MN) and nuclear anomalies in buccal mucosa cells. There were no significant differences between the groups in CA and MN. Karyopyknosis and karyorrhexis were significantly increased in the highest exposed group. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.