Increased incidence of micronuclei assessed with the micronucleus assay and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in peripheral blood lymphocytes of nurses exposed to nitrous oxide

As assessed by FISH analysis, the overall frequencies of centromere-positive MN in the control and exposed groups were 43 and 49%, respectively. The increase observed in the exposed group may suggest a slight, statistically insignificant pro-aneugenic effect of exposure to nitrous oxide.