Genotoxic damage among artisanal and small-scale mining workers exposed to mercury

Authors

  • Jaime A. Rosales-Rimache Centro Nacional de Salud Ocupacional y Protección del Ambiente para la Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. Licenciado en Tecnología Médica, magíster en Salud Ocupacional
  • Nancy Elizabeth Malca Centro Nacional de Salud Ocupacional y Protección del Ambiente para la Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. licenciado en Tecnología Médica
  • Jhonatan J. Alarcón Centro Nacional de Salud Ocupacional y Protección del Ambiente para la Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. licenciado en Tecnología Médica
  • Manuel Chávez Centro Nacional de Salud Ocupacional y Protección del Ambiente para la Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. licenciado en Química
  • Marco Antonio Gonzáles Centro Nacional de Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud. Lima, Perú. licenciado en Estadística

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2013.304.238

Keywords:

Micronucleus tests, Mercury, Genotoxicity, Occupational exposure, Mining

Abstract

Objectives. To determine the genotoxic damage among artisanal and small-scale mining workers exposed to mercury. Materials and methods. Observational cross-sectional study which evaluated mercury-exposed workers (n=83), whose cells were collected by mouth swab for further staining, microscopic observance, micronuclei count, and other nuclear alterations. 24-hour urine was also collected for the determination of inorganic mercury. Results. 68.7% of participants were male, the mean age being 43 ± 12,4 years (range: 16-76). The average time of occupational exposure to mercury was 12,1 ± 6,7 years, and the contact with mercury was 4,1 ± 3,6 kg per person per day. 93% of participants failed to wear personal protection gear while handling mercury. Results of biological monitoring showed that 17% of participants had concentrations of mercury in urine higher than 2,5 µg/L, this value being the detection limit of the measurement technique used. Results of the genotoxic evaluation evidenced that 15% of people with labor exposure to mercury presented micronuclei in mouth epithelial cells, and other indicators of nuclear alteration such as nucleoplasmic bridges, gemmation and binucleation were found, which are also considered genotoxic events associated to the exposure of physical or chemical risk agents. Conclusions. The finding of micronuclei in mouth epithelial cells reflects genotoxic damage associated to the labor exposure of mercury used in artisanal and small-scale mining activities.

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Published

2014-03-11

Issue

Section

Research Articles

How to Cite

1.
Rosales-Rimache JA, Malca NE, Alarcón JJ, Chávez M, Gonzáles MA. Genotoxic damage among artisanal and small-scale mining workers exposed to mercury. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica [Internet]. 2014 Mar. 11 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];30(4). Available from: https://rpmesp.ins.gob.pe/index.php/rpmesp/article/view/238