Abstract
Due to the exposure to various potentially genotoxic xenobiotics, derived from recent war activities such as NATO air strikes with antitank ammunition containing depleted uranium, we have evaluated chromosome aberrations in 84 peripheral blood samples from three local populations. One population sample included 30 individuals who lived in the Sarajevo area during and after the war (exposed to potential genotoxins), second population was presented with 26 employees of the tank repair facility in Hadzići (target of NATO air strikes), and 28 inhabitants of Posusje (not exposed to war-related activities) were treated as sample of control population. The mean of chromosome aberration frequencies for the population from Hadzići was significantly higher than the frequencies for the two other populations. Point bi-serial coefficient analysis did not reveal any relationship between the frequencies of chromosome aberrations and smoking habits or gender. Results suggest that depleted uranium could be a risk factor for human health.
Highlights
Environmental contamination presents serious threats for human health
Depleted uranium contamination and higher radioactivity were detected in samples of soil, water, air, and even lichens from three of sites, including the tank repair and ammunition storage facility in Hadžići
The second group included workers from the tank repair facility in Hadžići, who are suspected of exposure to depleted uranium contamination as a consequence of NATO air strikes
Summary
From to , the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina were exposed to weapons, used ammunition and waste products of ammunition decay, and they were forced to use expired pharmaceuticals and potentially contaminated food. Depleted uranium, used in NATO air strikes in and , is among the potential war-related genotoxins present at certain sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In their report, the United Nations Environment. Programme confirmed higher levels of radioactivity at localities that were targets of these strikes ( ). Depleted uranium contamination and higher radioactivity were detected in samples of soil, water, air, and even lichens from three of sites, including the tank repair and ammunition storage facility in Hadžići
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