Assessment of micronucleus frequency in exfoliated buccal epithelial cells among fisher folks exposed to mine tailings in Marinduque Island,Philippines

Objective:To evaluate the potential toxic effects of mine tailings exposure among the fisher folks residing near and far from the Calancan Bay,Marinduque,using the micronucleus assay as an endpoint.Methods:The fisher folks residing near and far from the Calancan Bay were interviewed and the presence and frequency of cells with micronucleus in exfoliated buccal epithelial cells were examined.Results:Results showed that the prevalence of cells with micronucleus was higher among the fisher folks who were directly exposed to the mine tailings as compared with those fisher folks who reside in a community without exposure of mine tailings and history of mining(P【0.05).Conclusions:The presence and the significant difference in the cells with micronuclei observed near the Calancan Bay could possibly indicate a prolonged chemical stress caused by the toxic heavy metals in the mine tailings and the environment.