Exposure to coal mining can lead to imbalanced levels of inorganic elements and DNA damage in individuals living near open-pit mining sites

The dangerous link between coal dust exposure and DNA damage: unraveling the role of some of the chemical agents and oxidative stress

“…The quantitative analysis of inorganic elements in urine, conducted using the PIXE method, revealed elevated concentrations of Na, P, S, Cl, K, Fe, Zn, and Br in the exposed group compared to the control group. Previous studies by León-Mejía et al, ( 2023a , 2023b ) reported significant concentrations of S and Fe in the blood of the exposed population. These elements, present in the inhaled particles, might be absorbed by various tissues and subsequently eliminated through urine (Quintana-Sosa et al, 2021 ), suggesting a systemic effect on these individuals.…”

“…In another study, particulate matter in the air was characterized (León-Mejía et al, 2023b ) as an amorphous/irregular solid, with prevailing sizes smaller than 10 µm (PM < 2.5), forming agglomerates that can deposit in different regions of the lung (Darquenne, 2020 ). For instance, particles smaller than 10 µm are deposited in the alveolar region, where they can remain longer in the lung and cause more inflammatory effects than coarse particles (Schraufnagel, 2020 ; Shekarian et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The samples examined in this study exhibited the presence of inorganic agents associated with oxidative damage. Exposure to coal mining residues can disrupt the balance of inorganic elements, potentially contributing to the observed increase in oxidative damage (León-Mejía et al, 2023b ; Souza et al, 2021 ). The quantitative analysis of inorganic elements in urine, conducted using the PIXE method, revealed elevated concentrations of Na, P, S, Cl, K, Fe, Zn, and Br in the exposed group compared to the control group.…”

“…The sample size comprised 150 individuals (89 women, 61 men) from the mining region who were exposed to coal mining particles, and 120 control individuals (70 women, 50 men) from Barranquilla (Colombia). The exposed individuals reside 2 km away from the nearest coal mine, and additional information can be found in León-Mejía et al, ( 2023a , 2023b ).…”

The Comet Assay as a Tool in Human Biomonitoring Studies of Environmental and Occupational Exposure to Chemicals—A Systematic Scoping Review

“…Three studies addressed involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke, namely indoor tobacco smoke [ 122 ], second-hand cigarette smoking in children [ 155 ], and environmental tobacco smoking [ 161 ]. Two studies assessed exposure to ozone [ 147 , 153 ], one investigated the effects of formaldehyde under experimental conditions [ 164 ], and others looked at hair dye fumes [ 124 ] and coal mining residues [ 141 ].…”