OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to evaluate the extent of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure in coke oven workers from Eastern Slovakia by cytogenetic analysis of human peripheral lymphocytes. METHODS: A total of 81 peripheral blood samples were collected from PAH-exposed workers (mean age 45.84 ± 9.73 years) and 30 samples constituted the control group (41.93 ± 15.39 years). The samples were processed using routine cytological analysis. Conventional cytogenetic analysis of human peripheral lymphocytes has been used to evaluate the effects of PAHs. RESULTS: Comparison of the aberrant cells in the total exposed with the controls showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). A high level of significance (p < 0.001) was observed when comparing the gaps between the exposed group and the control group. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in aberrant cells and chromatid breaks (p < 0.05) in the GR1 working subgroup compared with the control group. The results of the correlation analysis did not show a significant relationship between the length of occupational exposure and the frequency of aberrant cells (r = 0.071, p = 0.529). Similarly, no association was observed between smoking among coke plant workers and the frequency of aberrant cells (r = 0.117, p = 0.538). CONCLUSION: Cytogenetic analysis showed an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in coke oven workers in Eastern Slovakia.

• Keywords
• aromatic hydrocarbons, cancer, coke oven workers, cytogenetic, lymphocytes,
• MeSH
• Cytogenetic Analysis MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Coke * analysis   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Lymphocytes chemistry   MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * toxicity   analysis   MeSH
• Occupational Exposure * adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Pyrenes analysis   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Coke * MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * MeSH
• Pyrenes MeSH