© 1987 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Urine mutagenicity of steel workers exposed to coke oven emissions
Laboratoire de Microbiologic, Faculté de Pharmacie 27 Blvd. Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseile Cedex 5, France
1Service de Médecine du Travail, Faculté de Médecine 27 Blvd. Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseile Cedex 5, France
Urine mutagenicity of 19 individuals was investigated at a steel mill. All the subjects worked on the coal processing unit. Urine samples were collected at the end of a working day. Urine samples of two exposed workers were collected at the end of two periods of rest and two periods of working. Mutagens were extracted on XAD-2 resin and tested by the Salmonella microsomal assay and the SOS spot test. Mutagenic potencies of exposed smokers and exposed non smokers were 8.62 ± 6.56 and 1.1 ± 0.48 revertants/mg creatinine respectively with Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 + S9. Both values were significantly higher than those of unexposed smokers and non-smokers (5.07 ± 3.33 and 0.47 ± 0.72 revertants/mg creatinine respectively). The urinary mutagenic potency of the two exposed individuals in creased at the end of periods of working (15.97 ± 2.57 rever tants/mg creatinine) and decreased at the end of periods of rest (12.31 ± 2.45 revertants/mg creatinine). Urinary mutagens were detected with S. typhimurium strain TA100 + S9 to a lesser extent. No direct-acting mutagens were detected by the SOS spot test. Atmospheric benzo (BaP) were also measured by h.p.l.c. on the coke battery. BaP concentrations ranged between 0.01 and 0.6 µg/m 3air at the different working sites. Biological monitoring with short-term tests is discussed.