Micronuclei in buccal mucosa cells of smoking university students: a genotoxicity study

Abstract

This study explores and contrasts the genotoxic effects of conventional and electronic cigarette use on the buccal mucosa cells of university students, using the micronucleus test. We conducted field research with qualitative and quantitative methods, involving 28 participants over 18 years old, distributed into four groups: conventional cigarette users, electronic cigarette users, dual users, and non-smokers. Participants were selected based on specific criteria, and demographic and motivational information was obtained through questionnaires. Buccal mucosa samples were collected according to standard cytological methods, analyzing 500 cells per participant. Analysis revealed statistically significant differences in micronucleus incidence and cellular alterations between smoker and non-smoker groups. These findings underscore the need for stricter tobacco control policies and pave the way for future research on tobacco genotoxicity.