Genotoxic damage evaluation in agricultural workers by exposure to pesticides in Vicente Guerrero-Tlaxcala, Mexico

Pesticides are one of the main inputs in agricultural activities; however, their exposure has been linked to the generation of various health effects. Today, many studies show the ability of pesticides to induce genotoxic damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of genotoxic damage of agricultural workers from Vicente Guerrero-Tlaxcala community, Mexico, exposed to pesticides. The study was composed by 50 agricultural workers from the Vicente Guerrero community and 16 non-exposed individuals. To assess genotoxic damage, the micronucleus (MN) test was applied to exfoliated buccal cell samples by analyzing their frequency and that of other nuclear abnormalities. The agricultural workers showed a frequency of micronucleated cells (P<0,05) and nuclear outbreaks (P<0,05) higher than the control group. The types of pesticides most referred to by the producers were herbicides, belonging to the chemical groups chlorophenoxy and triazine. The exposure time is more than 6 years in more than half of the workers, while the use of personal protective equipment is low. The detected anomalies did not show statistical associations with age, diseases, alcohol, and tobacco consumption. The study revealed that the significant increase in the frequency of MN observed in the exposed group is induced by exposure to pesticides. The application of biomarkers of genotoxicity represents a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk of a population when exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals.