Somatic cell mutation in workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapors

Somatic cell mutation in human peripheral lymphocytes is one of the tools used recently in the biological monitoring of the work environment. The scope of this review was to test whether biomonitoring methods are sensitive to the presence of mercury (Hg) in the body. We used the following techniques: micronucleus frequency (MN), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), and hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) assay in human lymphocytes. A total number of 30 male workers exposed to Hg vapors in chloralkali industry had been selected and compared with 30 control subjects. The concentration of mercury in urine (HgU) was used as a biological index of exposure. The exposed group showed higher levels of MN (32.0 +/- 1.7), SCE (7.3 +/- 0.2),and HGPRT mutations (0.94 +/- 0.01) then the nonexposed controls. We recommend the introduction of somatic cell mutation analysis in the periodic medical examination of workers exposed to Hg vapors.