Outdoor Formaldehyde and NO2 Exposures and Markers of Genotoxicity in Children Living Near Chipboard Industries

BACKGROUND: Industrial air pollution is a public health hazard. Previous evidence documented increased respiratory symptoms and hospitalizations in children who live near the factories in the largest chipboard manufacturing district in Italy (Viadana).OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of outdoor exposure to formaldehyde and NO2 with markers of early genotoxic damage in oral mucosa cells of randomly selected children (6-12 years) living in Viadana.METHODS: In 2010-2011, DNA strand breaks and nuclear abnormalities were evaluated in exfoliated buccal cells by the comet and micronucleus assays, respectively, and formaldehyde and NO2 were monitored by passive sampling. Annual exposure estimates to pollutants were assigned to children's houses by spatial interpolation.RESULTS: 413 out of 656 (63%) children participated. Children living near (<2 km) the chipboard industries had the highest average exposure to formaldehyde and NO2 (p