Monitoring air pollution effects on children (MAPEC) living near cement factories: The MAPEC_Gubbio Study

The present study examined the association between airborne pollutants and early biological effects in children, a group particularly vulnerable to immediate and long-term effects, underscoring the importance of early detection. Researchers have performed the buccal micronucleucytome (BMCyt) assay focusing particularly on the assessment of two biomarkers of early genotoxic damage - micronuclei (MN) and nuclear buds - in exfoliated buccal mucosa cells of kids of 6-8 years from Gubbio (exposed area with two cement factories) and Città di Castello (control area). Overall, 164 children were enrolled, of whom 161 underwent cytome analysis. Air quality data were obtained from the publicly available database of the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA Umbria). Information on indoor exposure, sociodemographic characteristics, diet, and health, were collected via questionnaires. Sampling was conducted in late spring and winter, seasons with differing pollutant concentrations. Analysis explored correlations between MN frequency and pollution levels. Results showed a significantly (p < 0.001) doubled MN frequency in exposed children during late spring, with a median of 2.0 (IQR 1.0-2.5), compared with 1.0 (IQR 0.5-1.5) of the control group, likely due to unmonitored summer-specific pollutants, despite measured pollutants being below legal limits. The findings indicate a residual genotoxic risk for children in exposed areas, underscoring the need to enhance air pollutant monitoring to better address potential genetic damage.