Absence of mutagenicity in the urine of autopsy service workers exposed to formaldehyde: factors influencing mutagenicity testing of urine.

Hospital autopsy service workers and a matched control group were studied using a battery of genetic monitoring tests performed on samples of blood, semen and urine. The results of the analysis of urine for mutagens are described in this report. The participants in the study were matched with the controls for sex, age and their use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. Information was collected on general health, usage of medications and any exposure which might affect the outcome of the study. Individuals were sampled three times at approximately two month intervals. Time weighed average exposures to formaldehyde in the work areas were estimated at 0.61 to 1.32 ppm. Additionally, studies were carried out which examined various parameters affecting the testing of human urine samples for mutagenicity. No increase in mutagenicity was seen in the autopsy workers as compared to the control group. One individual who was receiving metronidazole and one control who smoked two packs of cigarettes per day had significantly mutagenic urine. A large proportion of the exposed individuals had toxic urine while only two of the control individuals had similar toxic urine. The material responsible for the toxicity has been isolated and purified but does not appear to be related to the formaldehyde exposure. Studies on the parameters affecting mutagenicity testing of urine with Salmonella typhimurium suggest that in the plate incorporation assay, TA100, but not TA98, can be affected by exogenous histidine. Furthermore, with the conditions employed in this study, 3 to 4% of labeled histidine added to urine samples was retained by the XAD-2 and subsequently eluted in the urine concentrate. Urinary histidine levels of unconcentrated samples ranged from 112 to 2614 nmol per ml (mean 994 nmol per ml) and the amount of histidine present correlated with the corresponding increases in histidine revertants with strain TA100.