Sister chromatid exchange frequency and chromosome aberrations in residents of fluoride endemic regions of South Gujarat

Abstract

Peripheral blood lymphocytes of residents of three villages and one nearby township in South Gujarat with fluoride concentrations in the drinking water of 1.56 – 3.46 and 0.6 – 0.8 ppm, respectively, were examined for their frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and chromosome aberra-tions. The rates of SCEs and chromosome aberrations in persons living in one of the endemic villages were significantly higher than in the others, and their lymphocytes were more susceptible to the clastogen Mitomycin-C.