Objective To explore the genotoxicity of bass wood dust. Methods
Micronucleus frequency in peripheral lymphocytes of workers
exposed to bass wood dust in a match factory were examined,solution of bass wood dust emmersion was prepared and the effect on
micronucleus frequency in poly-dyeing red blood cell of mice's sternum marrow was also detected.Single cell gel electrophoresis assay was used to detect DNA damage in liver cell,the level of
oxygen free radical,lipid peroxidation(MDA) in the liver and the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) in red blood cells were also studied. Results The positive frequency of micronucleus in bass wood-exposed workers with different length of service(0～,5～,≥10 a) were 50.0%,51.9%,50.0% respectively,significantly higher(P<0.01) than that of the control group(4.5%).A dose-effect relationship could also be found in the mice's micronucleus frequency study(r=0.78,P<0.01).The activities of SOD<(10.98±5.74), (15.70±7.54),(29.63±14.97)μg/g Hb> were significantly lower than that of control group<(35.80±12.92) μg/g Hb>,and the level of MDA<(4.93±0.90),(4.61±1.06),(4.33±0.69)mmol/g liver> were significantly higher than that of the control group<(2.51±0.34)mmol/g liver>.Single cell gel electrophoresis study showed DNA strand breaks increased with the dose increase and the level of oxygen free radical also increased with the dose increase. Conclusion Bass wood dust may have certain degree of genotoxicity.