Chromosome aberrations in workers exposed to arsenic.

The occurrence of chromosome aberrations was studied in short-term cultured lymphocytes from nine workers exposed to arsenic at the Rönnskär smeltery in northern Sweden. In the smelter workers, 87 aberrations were found in 819 mitoses. The number of aberrations varied individually from 0 to 25 aberrations per 100 cells. In a control material 13 aberrations were found in 1012 mitoses. The frequency of chromosome aberrations was significantly increased among the smelter workers, but due to the simultaneous exposure to other agents the effect of arsenic per se can not be assessed with certainty.