Development of a Biological Screening Method to Detect Potential Exposure of Synfuel Plant Workers to Carcinogenic Substances

摘要

The purpose of this project was to determine the feasibility of using the Ames assay as a biological monitoring tool to evaluate exposure to mutagens/carcinogens, which may be possibly generated by a synfuel plant. Phase I of this project consisted of analyzing urine samples of cigarette smokers and non-smokers for mutagenicity in order to establish that this assay can reproducibly detect mutagens present in smokers' urine, as well as to distinguish smoking-related mutagenic urine samples from work-related ones. This was necessary to develop a standardized protocal for urine screening. Phase II consisted of an extension of Phase I to examine mutagen activity as cake-oven workers, exposed to known carcinogens and known to have increased cancer risks. Phase II consisted of an analysis of mutagenic activity in urine samples from volunteer workers at the H-coal pilot plant at Catlettsburg, Ky.