Assessment of environmental and occupational exposures to butadiene as a model for risk estimation of petrochemical emissions

• Published in: Mutagenesis 1996-01, Vol.11 (1), p.9-17
• Main Authors: Sorsa, M., Peltonen, K., Anderson, D., Demopoulos, N.A., Neumann, H-G., Osterman-Golkar, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Air Pollutants, Occupational - adverse effects; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Butadienes - adverse effects; Chemical mutagenesis; DNA Adducts - chemistry; DNA Adducts - drug effects; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Hemoglobins - drug effects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Micronucleus Tests; Models, Biological; Mutagens - adverse effects; Occupational Exposure; Rats; Risk; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0267-8357; 1464-3804
• DOI: 10.1093/mutage/11.1.9

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is an important industrial chemical and environmental contaminant, e.g. in urban air, traffic exhausts and tobacco smoke. It has been shown to be genotoxic in vitro and in vivo and carcinogenic in rodents, mice being more sensitive than rats. The present study confirmed this species difference. Using micronuclei in erythrocytes or bone marrow as a marker, mice responded at an effective level of 50 p.p.m., while the highest ineffective level in rats was 500 p.p.m. (inhalation of BD for 5 days). A dose-dependent increase in N-terminal valine haemoglobin adducts was seen in both rats and mice, but the adduct levels in the latter species were on average five times higher. For the first time, specific N6-alkyldeoxyadenosine adducts were identified in lung and liver DNA of rats exposed to BD by inhalation. No significant difference in DNA adduct level was seen in lung tissue of rats and mice at similar exposure levels. Occupational exposure levels to BD in the European Process industry are variable, but generally