Use of alkaline Comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis technique) to detect DNA damages in lymphocytes of operating room personnel occupationally exposed to anaesthetic gases

Occupational hazards, DNA damage, and oxidative stress on exposure to waste anesthetic gases

“…The basal DNA damage, detected using the comet test, has been evaluated in the population chronically exposed to WAGs, but the results are controversial. 35 , 39 , 40 In Turkey, for example, there was a significant increase in lymphocyte DNA damage of 66 professionals (anesthesiologists, nurses, and technicians) exposed to halothane, isoflurane, and N 2 O compared to a control group. 39 In contrast, a Polish study showed no difference in DNA damage in 100 professionals exposed to N 2 O, isoflurane, sevoflurane, and halothane compared to control group or interference from exposure time in the outcomes.…”

Evaluation of DNA damage in white blood cells of healthy human volunteers using the alkaline comet assay and the chromosome aberration test.

“…While biomonitoring studies employing cytogenetic techniques are limited to circulating lymphocytes and involve proliferating cell populations, the comet assay can be applied to proliferating and non-proliferating cells (Kassie et al, 2000). This method, within a short time, has found wide usage in epidemiological and biomonitoring studies in humans, to determine DNA damage, as a result of endogenous factors and lifestyle (Betti et al, 1994;Hellman et al, 1997;Frenzilli et al, 1997;Bajpayee et al, 2002;Morillas et al, 2002;Møller et al, 2002;Speit et al, 2003;Mastaloudis et al, 2004;Hininger et al, 2004;Hoffman & Speit, 2005) as well as due to occupational exposure (Awara et al, 1998;Şardaş et al, 1998;Wojewódzka et al, 1998;Andreoli et al, 1999;Palus et al, 1999;Pitarque et al, 1999;Somorovská et al, 1999;Zhu et al, 1999Zhu et al, , 2001Moretti et al, 2000;Kopjar & Garaj-Vrhovac, 2001;Maluf et al, 2001;Želježić & Garaj-Vrhovac, 2001;Garaj-Vrhovac & Kopjar, 2003) as well as environmental exposures (Šrám et al, 1998;Hellman et al, 1999;Valverde et al, 1999).…”