Bio-monitoring of DNA damage in matchstick industry workers from Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Safety protocols are usually neglected in most of the matchstick industries rendering the laborer prone to various occupational hazards. OBJECTIVE: The present study highlights DNA damage among matchstick factory workers (n = 92) against a control group (n = 48) of healthy individuals. METHODS: Genotoxicity was measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes of the test subjects using a Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay (SCGE/comet assay). RESULTS: Our results substantiate a high Total Comet Score (TCS) for factory workers (74.5 ± 47.0) when compared to the control group (53.0 ± 25.0) (P ≤ 0.001). Age and duration of occupational exposure had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on TCS value. As for job function, the TCS value was greatest in sweepers (91.0 ± 56.1) and lowest in box-making operators (26.0 ± 25.0) indicating that waste disposal poses the higher risk of DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS: Our study corroborates that matchstick chemicals can potentially damage the DNA of exposed subjects.