PAH-DNA adducts in a petrol refinery in Egypt

Epidemiological surveys in occupationally exposed populations postulate tha t long-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is carcinog enic. We studied the ability of PAHs to induce the formation of adducts in the DNA of white blood cells of petrol refinery workers exposed at the work place. Our study included a random sample of 56 workers exposed to PAHs and 37 non-exposed workers. In the univariate analysis, the DNA adduct level o f PAH-exposed workers (42.22 +/- 45.11) was significantly increased (P < 0. 05) compared with that in the non-exposed group (20.90 +/- 22.56). However, we could not identify either current smoking or absence of glutathione S-t ransferase class Mu as possible risk factors for DNA adducts. Linear regres sion analysis identified degree of exposure to PAHs as the only DNA adducts risk factor. Further research with a larger sample size is under investiga tion to identify the DNA adduct levels and relationship between the differe nt types of PAHs. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.