Assessment of DNA damage in lymphocytes of Mamuju (a high background radiation area) inhabitants using alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis

Mamuju in Indonesia has a highest average dose rate and considered as a high background radiation area (HBRA) in Indonesia. Here in this research a preliminary study to evaluate DNA damage using the alkaline comet assay in
inhabitants of Takandeang village, Mamuju, was conducted. Blood samples from 55 healthy donors living in Takandeang village and 22 control samples were obtained and processed into the assay. Results showed that there were
insignificant differences of comet tail length (TL) and tail moment (TM)between Takandeang village inhabitants and control samples (p = 0.578,0.174). Regression analysis revealed that the DNA damage was increased with age in control samples, even though the correlation was not significant (p > 0.05). In contrast a significant negative correlation (p = 0.02) was observed in Takandeang inhabitants. Results found in this research should be
validating in a larger study using more samples from Mamuju.