PH18 Assessing Human/Environment Interactions
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Thursday
(PH203) Genotoxic Effects in People Living in the Vicinity of a Polluted River in Brazil.
Paiva, A1, Soares, C1, 1 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
ABSTRACT- Pulp and paper mill effluent contains a complex mixture of compounds that adversely affect aquatic wildlife physiologically and at their population levels. Recent reports have suggested that background levels of industrial chemicals and other environmental pollutants may play a role in the development of breast cancer in women and decreased male reproductive success, as well as the reproductive failures of some wildlife species. The aims of this work were to verify the occurrence of genotoxic effect using comet assay in blood of adult humans, to identify and evaluate changes in serum enzymes involved in oxidative stress in individuals presenting cancer and living in the vicinity of a pulp and paper mill, and to verify if there was a correlation with the blood organochlorine level. The types of cancer reported were the prostate, breast, ovary, uterus and lung, and individuals, grouped by cancer type, were evaluated for some biochemical parameters including serum gamma-GT, cholinesterase, acid and alkaline phosphatase and antioxidant defenses such as GSH. Excess risks were identified for all kinds of cancers in all individuals; all of them had been exposed to polluted river water, and ate fish collected in the same region. All the evaluated serum enzymes were present at higher levels and antioxidant defenses were lower. Comet assay revelled DNA damage type 2 and 3 for 20 to 40% of de individuals. Supported by CNPq
Key words: pulp and paper, genotoxicity, humans, comet assay