Monitoring ames assay on urine of clinical pathology laboratories technicians

Abstract

Forty urine samples of clinical pathology-laboratory technicians were examined for the presence of mutagenic substance in urine. Mutagenic substance in this study was formaldehyde, formaline, hematoxyline-eosin, Xylole and Xyline which are used for smear fixation and staining in clinical pathology laboratories. We used Ames test to determine the mutagenic potential of above mentioned substances. Mutagenicity was evaluated by TA100 strain of Salmonella typhimurium. Urine extracts were prepared using XAD-2 resin in column. The resin was then rinsed with Milli-Q water. This procedure eliminates traces of water soluble growth factors (especially histidine) from the resin. Residual water was removed by vacuum aspiration and adsorbed substance were eluted with a mixture of methanol/acetonitrile v/v. After evaporation to dryness with N2 gas, the residue was dissolved in PMSO to reach 100 to 250 fold concentration and then urine extraction were kept frozen in liquid nitrogen gas until use. Mutagenicity was evaluated in TA100 Salmonella thyphimurium tester stain (overnight cultures) with and without addition of S-9 mix. The results of this study has been shown that 20% of urine samples from technicians of clinical pathology laboratories in Tehran (Iran) were contained mutagen materials. The staff with working history in clinical pathology laboratories may excrete mutagenic compounds in urine. © 2008 Academic Journals Inc.