Micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes and buccal epithelial cells ofPolish farmers exposed to pesticides

In this biomonitoring study, we investigated whether an occupational exposu re to a complex mixture of chemical pesticides produced a significant incre ase of micronuclei (MN) in both peripheral blood lymphocytes and buccal cel ls. Forty-nine male workers exposed to pesticides, from an agricultural are a of Malopolska Region in Southern Poland, together with 50 men from the sa me area without indication of exposure to pesticides that served as control s, were used in this investigation. No statistically significant differences in the frequencies of cytogenetic damage were detected between exposed and control individuals, for either ty pe of cells. The multiple linear regression analysis in the case of lymphoc ytes indicated that the studied cytogenetic endpoints were inversely influe nced by alcohol; whilst a negative binomial regression, in the case of bucc al cells, indicated that the MN values were directly influenced by the inge stion of red meat. An inverse negative relationship between the cytokinesis -block proliferation index and age, and a significant increase of miscarria ges due to the exposure to pesticides were also observed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.