Comparison of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes from people occupationally exposed to ionizing and radiofrequency radiation.

The genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation were investigated in 25 physicians and nurses working in hospitals and in 20 individuals working at radio-relay stations. Examination was conducted by chromosome aberration analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The data showed that total number of chromosome aberrations in people exposed to ionizing and radio-frequency radiation (4.08 +/- 0.37 and 4.35 +/- 0.5 on 200 scored metaphases, respectively) were almost equally higher than those of non-irradiated subjects. The increase was in proportion to the number of individuals having more that 5-aberration/200 metaphases. Acentric fragments comprised the most frequently seen type of aberration. The average numbers in examined groups (11.8 x 10(-3) and 14.8 x 10(-3) per cell, respectively), were significantly higher than 4.2 x 10(-3), which was observed in controls, unexposed individuals. Dicentric fragments were also frequent (4.8 x 10(-3) and 6.25 x 10(-3), respectively, vs. 0.52 x 10(-3) in control). In contrast, the frequency of chromatid breaks increased only after ionizing radiation (3.8 x 10(-3) vs. 0.26 x 10(-3) in control). A positive correlation between the total number of chromosome aberrations and cumulative 6-years dosage was also found. The data emphasized the dangerous effects of prolonged exposure to both types of radiation and indicated that chromosomal aberration analysis should be obligatory for individuals working at radio-relay stations.