Detection of the effects of the radiation doses on the genetic material in lymphocytes of samples of workers in Al-Tuwaitha site

The present study aims to use the cytogenetic analysis as a bio marker for detection of the effects of the radiation doses on the genetic material in lymphocytes of samples of workers in nuclear facilities destroyed at Al-Tuwaitha site due to decommissioning of radioactive contamination during January to December 2011. Blood samples were collected from workers ,including ( males and females) , aged (25 - 63 years).First test included 35 samples containing 27 males and 8 females, aged ( 34- 63 years) , second test included 27 samples containing 25 males and females, aged (29 - 63 years) and third test included 23 males only .Control group includes 35 samples containing 25 males and 10 females' , aged (30-57 years) who were non smokers and non alcoholics .Four cytogenetic parameters were studied such as chromosomal aberrations, frequency of micronuclei, Mitotic and nuclear division index. The chromosomal aberrations, includes fragment, ring and dicentric chromosome as cytogenetic parameters for biological effects of ionizing radiation. This study showed no significant difference in the rate of chromosomal and chromatid aberrations. Micronuclei and nuclear division index of the workers in the first and second test compared with the groups of workers in the third test, while slightly significant increase at the level (p ≺0.05) when compared with the control group was observed , as well as no significant differences in the rate of mitotic index for workers as compared with the control group was recorded