Objective To investigate the effect of short-term benzene exposure on human peripheral blood and cell genotoxicity.
Methods Benzene concentrations in the air of workplaces were determined. Blood routine indices were examined in peripheral blood in 203 workers of a shoemaking factory who were exposed to benzene, and their chromosomal damage of peripheral blood lymphocyte were evaluated with cytokinesis-block micronucleus(CBMN) method. A total of 178 workers who weren't exposed to benzene and other toxic substances served as control group.
Results Compared with the control group, the abnormality ratio of red blood cell(RBC), hematocrit(HCT), platelet count(PLT), red cell distribution width(RDW), mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC) of benzene exposed group showed significantly decrease, χ2 were 38.21, 21.37, 18.02, 22.17, 36.59 and 41.23, respectively (P<0.01). Two hundred and three exposed subjects were divided into three groups by their length of service (≤8 months, 9-15 months and 16-24 months), stratification analysis found that significant associations between the abnormality ratio of granulocyte (GRAN) and the le ngth of service (F=7.47, P<0.05)existed. The abnormality of HCT, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), PLT, hemoglobin (HGB) and RDW in females were significantly higher than that in males, χ2=21.04, 36.26, 6.94, 71.62, 12.91, P<0.01, respectively. The ly mphocyte chromosomal damage level expressed as frequency of CBMN in benzene exposed workers was significantly higher than that in controls (2.98& #177;1.49)‰, vs (0.39& #177;0.72)‰, P<0.001.
Conclusion Short-term benzene exposure is an occupational hazard to workers' blood system and cell genotoxicity. The changes in the above-mentioned indices are shown earlier than the decrease of leucocytes.
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