Lymphocyte Micronucleus Frequencies in Children Living in
Lead-Polluted Environment

Doina C. Obreja1, Gabriella Mészáros2, Rodica Tulbure1, Gabriella Bognár2, Eugen S. Gurzau3, and György. J. Köteles2

1 Institute of Public Health, Bucharest, Romania
2 Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, József Fodor National Center for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary
3 Environmental Health Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Corresponding author: Gabriella Mészáros
    Frédéric Joliot-Curie NRIRR
    József Fodor National Center for Public Health
    P.O. Box 101
    H-1775 Budapest, Hungary
    Telephone: (+36) 1-482-2000
    E-mail: meszaros@hp.osski.hu

CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.1.: 21–26

Key words:
Micronuclei in lymphocytes, children, lead pollution

Abstract:
The potential use of lymphocyte micronucleus assay was tested for revealing cytogenetic damage of children living in a rural region polluted by heavy metals of industrial origin. Blood samples were collected both from unpolluted rural and polluted rural areas. In the latter, the blood lead levels ranged between 20 and 65 μg/dL and the micronucleus frequency values changed between 5 and 15‰. The average value was more than 3 times higher than those in children from an unpolluted region. In studies of in vitro toxicity of lead, it was found that the micronucleus frequencies increased in the range of 10–7 to 10–4 mol/L. The micronucleus assay has proved to be a valuable indicator in monitoring as well as in possible follow-up studies.

Received: 28 April 2005
Accepted: 27 June 2005
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