METANUCLEAR ABNORMALITIES IN FORMALIN-EXPOSED INDIVIDUALS

BACKGROUND Formalin is a genotoxic agent which causes respiratory illness on mild exposure and cancer on chronic exposure. This study provides an easy and inexpensive way to assess the nuclear abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty individuals with different duration of exposure were included in our study. Oral squamous cells were collected by scraping the wooden spatula. The slides were fixed with methanol glutaraldehyde fixative and stained with Giemsa, May-Grunwald stains. After air drying, 1000 cells were screened for metanuclear abnormalities. RESULTS Metanuclear abnormalities were more in the group who had more than 15 years of formalin exposure. The mean value was 66.80. The frequency of metanuclear abnormalities were significant within the groups and between the groups also. CONCLUSIONS The genotoxic effect of formalin was confirmed by the increase in the nuclear abnormalities in the formalin-exposed group.