RESEARCH ARTICLE Genotoxicity in adult residents in mineral coal region—a cross-sectional study Edlaine Acosta Da Silva Pinto 1,2 & Edariane Menestrino Garcia 1,2 & Krissia Aparecida de Almeida 1 & Caroline Feijó Lopes Fernandes 1,2 & Ronan Adler Tavella 1,2 & Maria Cristina Flores Soares 1,2 & Paulo Roberto Martins Baisch 3 & Ana Luíza Muccillo-Baisch 1,2 & Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior 1,2 Received: 5 October 2016 /Accepted: 18 May 2017 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017 Abstract The present study assessed the DNA damage in environmentally exposed volunteers living in seven munici- palities in an industrial coal region, through the use of the comet assay with blood cells and the micronucleus test with buccal cells. Blood and buccal smears were collected from 320 male volunteers living in seven cities inserted in a coal region. They were ages of 18 and 50 years and also completed a questionnaire intended to identify factors associated with DNA damage through a Poisson regression analysis. The comet assay detected significant differences in DNA damage in volunteers from different municipalities, and neighboring cities (Pedras Altas, Aceguá, and Hulha Negra) had a higher level of DNA damage in relation to control city. Some of the risk factors associated with identified DNA lesions included residence time and life habits. On the other hand, the micro- nucleus test did not identify differences between the cities studied, but the regression analysis identified risk factors such as age and life habits (consumption of mate tea and low car- bohydrates diet). We conclude that there are differences in the DNA damage of volunteers from different cities of the car- boniferous region, but the presence of micronuclei in the oral mucosa does not differ between the same cities. Furthermore, we alert that some related factors may increase the risk of genotoxicity, such as residence location and time, and living and food habits. Finally, we suggest the need for continuous biomonitoring of the population, as well as for investing in health promotion in these vulnerable populations. Keywords Genotoxicity . Mutagenicity . Environmental exposure . Coal mining activities Introduction According to the International Energy Agency, coal is the most used energy source worldwide, accounting for 42% of the electricity generated, with reserves of more than 900 bil- lion tons (IEA 2015). Unlike crude oil and natural gas, coal reserves are well distributed around the globe, being an im- portant energy source in developing countries, such as China and India (ANEEL 2008). Brazil occupies the tenth place in the world ranking of coal reserves, but coal only makes up 1.5% of Brazilian energy sources (ANEEL 2008). On the other hand, the use of energy from coal has been promoted by the government through in- centives, especially because the main Brazilian energy matrix is dependent on favorable climatic conditions (hydropower). The irregular geographic distribution of more than 7 billion tons of Brazilian coal accounts for the largest deposits being found in the southern region. The Candiota mine alone con- tains almost 40% of all known Brazilian coal (ANEEL 2008). Although this rock is an energy source of recognized im- portance in the world, its use entails damage to the Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues * Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior f.m.r.silvajunior@gmail.com 1 Laboratório de Ensaios Farmacológicos e Toxicológicos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, Av. Itália, km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil 2 Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Rua Visconde de Paranaguá 102 Centro, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil 3 Laboratório de Oceanografia Geológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – FURG, Av. Itália, km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS 96201-900, Brazil Environ Sci Pollut Res DOI 10.1007/s11356-017-9312-y