Research Information System
TOXICOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL HEALTH, vol.2, no.1, pp.1-8, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Workers involved in paint production or application are extensively
exposed to various hazardous substances like organic solvents,
lead-based pigments, adhesives, and residual plastic monomers.
Therefore, workers in the paint industry are at high risk of suffering
adverse health effects. Studies of the lymphocytes of paint workers have
demonstrated that industrial paint induces DNA damage and cellular
changes. The aim of the present study was to assess DNA damage in 54
paint workers from paint production and application areas and 54
age-gender matched control subjects using a non-invasive buccal
micronucleus (MN) assay. Buccal MN frequencies were significantly
increased in workers compared to controls. MN frequencies significantly
increased among workers from paint production areas compared with
workers from paint application areas. MN frequencies in long-term
workers (>10 years) were found to be significantly higher than those
of short-term workers (≤10 years), which indicates that the duration of
exposure to paints causes cytogenetic damage. MN frequencies increased
with increasing age, while smoking status and the use of protective
masks had no additional effect on MN frequencies within groups. In
conclusion, it appears that long-term exposure to complex chemical
mixtures during paint production may increase DNA damage in the workers.
Understanding the possible causes of occupational exposure-induced
genotoxicity in paint industry workers is of great importance for the
protection of public health. Monitoring variables related to genotoxic
damage in the paint workers using non-invasive methods will facilitate
and improve risk assessment in the paint production sector.