Sister chromatid exchanges in workers employed in car-painting workshops.

Car painting workers are exposed to a number of potentially genotoxic agents. The frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were determined in a group of 22 workers involved in painting repaired cars in small workshops. An occupationally non-exposed age-matched group served as controls. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the mean SCE levels in exposed (7.81 +/- 1.50) and non-exposed (4.92 +/- 0.10) groups. Smoking habit was the other factor most influencing SCE levels. Among both the exposed workers and the controls, smokers had a higher SCE frequency than non-smokers.