Biomonitoring of agricultural workers exposed to pesticide mixtures in Guerrero state, Mexico, with comet assay and micronucleus test

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2016-02, Vol.23 (3), p.2513-2520
• Main Authors: Carbajal-López, Yolanda, Gómez-Arroyo, Sandra, Villalobos-Pietrini, Rafael, Calderón-Segura, María Elena, Martínez-Arroyo, Amparo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Agriculture; Agrochemicals; alcohol drinking; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bioaccumulation; Bioassays; Biomarkers; Biomonitoring; Cell Nucleus; Chromosome aberrations; Chromosomes; Comet Assay; cytotoxicity; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Damage; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; epithelial cells; exposure duration; farm labor; Farmers; Farmworkers; genotoxicity; human health; Humans; Male; males; Mexico; Micronucleus Tests; Middle Aged; monitoring; Monitoring methods; Mouth Mucosa - drug effects; Mutagenesis; Occupational exposure; Occupational Exposure - analysis; pesticide mixtures; Pesticides; Pesticides - toxicity; Questionnaires; Research Article; risk; Rural areas; rural communities; Smoking; Studies; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5474-7

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effect of pesticides in exfoliated buccal cells of workers occupationally exposed in Guerrero, Mexico, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test. The study compared 111 agricultural workers in three rural communities (Arcelia 62, Ajuchitlan 13, and Tlapehuala 36), with 60 non-exposed individuals. All the participants were males. The presence of DNA damage was investigated in the exfoliated buccal cells of study participants with the comet assay and the micronucleus (MN) test; comet tail length was evaluated in 100 nuclei and 3000 epithelial cells of each individual, respectively; other nuclear anomalies such as nuclear buds, karyolysis, karyorrhexis, and binucleate cells were also evaluated. Study results revealed that the tail migration of DNA and the frequency of MN increased significantly in the exposed group, which also showed nuclear anomalies associated with cytotoxic or genotoxic effect. No positive correlation was noted between exposure time and tail length and micronuclei frequencies. No significant effect on genetic damage was observed as a result of age, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The MN and comet assay in exfoliated buccal cells are useful and minimally invasive methods for monitoring genetic damage in individuals exposed to pesticides. This study provided valuable data for establishing the possible risk to human health associated with pesticide exposure.