Impact of the occupational exposure to halogenated anesthetics on genomic instability and cytotoxicity of professionals who work in veterinary hospital

Abstract

Considering the scarcity of data in the literature on professionals working in veterinary hospital (VH) and exposed to waste anesthetic gases (WAGs), the present study will, for the first time, evaluate both the monitoring of anesthetic pollution in operating rooms (ORs) and biomarkers of possible toxic effects in exposed professionals. Thus, the study will be carried out on professionals who work in ORs and are exposed to the WAGs isoflurane and sevoflurane at the VH from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (UNESP-Botucatu), where the concentrations of WAGs in ORs will be detected by infrared spectrophotometry. Biological samplings will be collected from professionals exposed to the WAGs (exposed group) and non-exposed volunteers (control group). DNA damage will be assessed by the comet assay; genetic instability will be evaluated by the frequency of micronuclei (MN) detected in buccal mucosa and lymphocytes; and the cytotoxicity will be analyzed by buccal and lymphocyte MN assays, as well as by flow cytometry. Biochemical analyzes (blood count and hepatic and renal markers) in addition to the urinary concentrations of the compounds will also be assessed. Considering the importance, originality and relevance of the topic, with the results obtained in this study, we will know the concentrations of WAGs in ORs and will obtain information about the possible effects of the WAGs on exposed professionals who work in a university VH, for a better understanding of the possible toxic effects of occupational exposure to WAGs, with impact on anesthesiology and occupational health fields. (AU)