Environmental exposure to mineral coal and by-products: Influence on human health and genomic instability

Environmental exposure to pollution generated by mining and burning coal is inevitable for people living nearby. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of coal dust on health conditions and genomic instability of individuals who live near coal mines and thermoelectric power plants, and to relate the results to inorganic elements and inflammatory responses. Thus, we evaluated 284 individuals from four cities in the south of Brazil around a region with coal mines and a thermoelectric power plant (one city was considered a negative control). The results of the Comet assay and Micronucleus (MN) test did not show a genotoxic or mutagenic effect related to environmental exposure to coal, but the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was increased in all cities around the power plant when compared to the control conditions. Higher levels of MN were associated with body mass index and cardiovascular risk, and higher levels of Damage Index (DI), TNF-alpha and interleukin1 beta (IL-1 beta) with number of cigarettes/day. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to integrate DNA damage and inflammatory results with inorganic elements. This study also demonstrated the relationship between zinc and MN, copper, and interleukin10 (IL-10), and among silicon and sulfur with DI and nucleoplasmic bridge. A relationship was also observed between the reduction of inorganic elements and both aging and quality of health. The use of different methodologies and the relationship between the results obtained in these studies, including different lifestyles, can increase the understanding of the interaction between this mineral and the health status of residents of regions affected by coal pollution.

Automated summary

Although no genotoxic or mutagenic effects were evident from exposure to coal in the environment, levels of inflammatory cytokines were increased in cities around power plants. Micronucleus levels were associated with body mass index and cardiovascular risk, while inorganic elements showed correlations with DNA damage and inflammatory responses. Furthermore, reductions in inorganic elements were linked to aging and health status.