workers in the wooden furniture industry are susceptible to cancer because of constant exposure to wood dust, reiterates a new study. The adverse health effects of wood dust are well known, but there is very little documentary evidence to support this knowledge.

The study was conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Madras and the Institute of Cardio-vascular Diseases, Chennai. Thirty males exposed to wood dust for a minimum period of two years and thirty non-exposed, non-smoking males were chosen as the subjects. The researchers evaluated the extent of genetic damage in their blood cells, called lymphocytes, using standard tests. Along with this, the level of air-borne respirable fraction of wood dust to which the subjects were exposed to was also measured.

The analysis indicated that workers exposed to wood dust showed genotoxic effects, with high levels of dna damage. "These effects reveal that the chemical contents of wood dust manifest toxicity by affecting the dna function through various mechanisms,' said D Elavarasi, one of the scientists. The researchers even found that a positive correlation existed between the duration of exposure and genetic damage