Increased frequency of micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange in cement factory workers

The population most exposed to cement dust pollution includes workers and managers in cement plants and factories, families of workers and managers living in staff houses of factories, and other neighbourhood habitations. Children studying in the schools situated in proximity to factories are particularly prone to cement dust exposure. In this study, the micronuclei (MN) and sister chormatid exchange (SCE) was applied in peripheral blood lymphocytes cells, in order to assess the genotoxic risk associated with occupational exposure of cement factory workers. In the present study were analyzed the samples of 62 people working in cement factory including 27 smokers and 35 non-smokers and compared with 62 controls (no exposure to cement dust or any known physical or chemical agent) of the same age group were analyzed using standard micronucleus test protocol. The mean frequencies of MN in the exposed group were significantly higher (P < 0.000) when compared to the control group. A significant increase in the micronuclei are observed in the residents with smoking habit (22.351 ± 0.331), when compared to the residents without smoking habit (18.380 ± 0.325) and SCE results also was observed with smoking habit (12.965 ± 0.222) without smoking habit (10.808 ± 0.275). In this study concluded that high number of blood lymphocytes cell micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange induction is possible in case of long term exposure to cement dust and that may cause adverse health impact.