Objective To estimate the biological changes and biomarkers in those occupationally exposed to cooking fumes.Methods Sister chromatid exchanges(SCEs) and micronucleus(MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes were used as biomarkers.The exposure group( n =46) consisted of 46 male cooks who were empolyed in restaurants and inhaled cooking fumes every day.Controls( n =28),matched for sex,age,smoking habits,alcohol consumption,consisted of 26 male managers.Students t test was used to compare the frequency of SCEs and MN in exposed workers and controls.The relationship between the biomarkers and exposure to cooking fumes was also assessed by multiple linear regression.Results The exposure related changs of biomarker in exposed group were significantly higher than those in control group.Mean value of SCEs in exposed group was found to be 7.37 and 4.17 in control group.The positive rate for micronucleus test in the exposed group was significantly higher than that in the controls(52.17% and 17.86,respectively, p =0.003),The micronucles per cell in the exposed group was 0.237%,and was significantly higher than that in the controls(0.075%, P <0.01).The mean frequency of SCEs in the exposed group was 7.37 and was significantly higher than that in the controls(4.17).After adjusting the confoundings such as smoking,alcohol intake,the analysis of covariance revealed that the frequency of SCEs was significantly higher than that in controls ( P =0.000?1).Multiple linear regression analysis(using a continuous exposure variable)suggested that the Ln transformation frequency of SCEs increased with exposure years in the exposed group.Conclusion Occupational exposure to cooking fumes might result in a certain genetic damage. |