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César Paz-y-Miño,^1,2 Gabriela Bustamante,¹ María Eugenia Sánchez,^1,2 and Paola E. Leone^1,2

¹Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Citogenética Humana, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, and ²Unidad de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

We analyzed the incidence of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in workers of a plantation of flowers located in Quito, Ecuador, in South America. This study included 41 individuals occupationally exposed to 27 pesticides, some of which are restricted in many countries and are classified as extremely toxic by the World Health Organization ; among these are aldicarb and fenamiphos. The same number of individuals of the same age, sex, and geographic area were selected as controls. Workers exposed to these pesticides showed an increased frequency of CA compared with control group (20.59% vs. 2.73% ; p < 0.001) . We conclude that screening for CA is an adequate biomarker for evaluating and detecting genotoxicity resulting from exposure to pesticides. Levels of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase were also determined as a complementary metabolic study. Levels below the optimal (> 28 U/mL blood) were found in 88% of exposed individuals ; this clearly shows the effect of organophosphate pesticides. When comparing the levels of acetylcholinesterase and structural CA frequencies, there was a negative linear correlation (r = 0.416 ; p < 0.01) . We conclude that by using both analyses it may be possible to estimate damage produced by exposure to organophosphate pesticides. Key words: chromosomal aberrations, erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase, mutagenic and carcinogenic risk, pesticide exposure. Environ Health Perspect 110:1077-1080 (2002) . [Online 12 September 2002]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p1077-1080paz-y-mino/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to C. Paz-y-Miño, Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Citogenética Humana, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Avda. 12 de Octubre y Patria, Quito, Ecuador, P.O. Box 17-01-2184. Telephone: (593-2) 565627 ext. 1193. Fax: (593-2) 509680. E-mail: cpazymino@puceuio.puce.edu.ec

This study was carried out with the support of the BID Fundacyt-PUCE Project 111.

Received 26 December 2001 ; accepted 19 March 2002.