Biomarkers of exposure to benzene (blood
benzene and the urinary metabolites trans,trans-muconic acid and S-phenylmercapturic acid), 1,3-butadiene (urinary monohydroxybutenyl
mercapturic acid) and PAHs (1-hydroxypyrene) were all significantly higher in templeworkers than those in controlworkers.
DNA damage and DNA repair capacity were measured as biomarkers of early biological effects. Temple workers had a significant
increase in DNA damage observed as a 2-fold increase in the levels of leukocyte 8-hydroxy-2-deoxguanosine (8-OHdG) and DNA
strand breaks (P < 0.001). A significant reduction of DNA repair capacity in temple workers determined by the radiation challenge
assay was also observed. These results indicate that exposure to carcinogens emitted from incense burning may increase health risk
for the development of cancer in temple workers.