human exposure to chemical compounds , often termed xenobiotics , has been linked to a number of enhanced incidences of various neoplasias . 
 a majority of these enter the human body through inhalation . 
 most xenobiotics are metabolized in the body to more hydrophilic metabolites before excretion in the urine and bile . during this process 
 , promutagens and procarcinogens could be activated and could interact with proteins as well as dna to form adducts . 
 dna adducts formed by chemical carcinogens can , therefore , be used as biomarkers of exposure and other host factors . 
 this study that dna adduct analysis can be performed on cells from human nasal mucosa . using the nasal lavage procedure performed on 20 healthy volunteers , 
 5 x 10(5 ) to 5 x 10(6 ) cells were obtained from which 5 to 40 micrograms dna was isolated . 
 dna adducts were analyzed by the 32-p - postlabeling assay . 
 the dna adduct levels ranged between 1.4 and 6 adducts/10(8 ) nucleotides . 
 in addition to its simplicity , the nasal lavage procedure is an inexpensive , noninvasive procedure that requires no anesthetics or special equipment . 
 moreover , the cells obtained are the first to come in contact with air pollutants . 
 dna adduct analysis from human nose mucosa cells could therefore be used to develop a technique suitable for the assessment of exposure to chemical carcinogens through inhalation.imagesfigure 1.figure 1.figure 1 .