Human exposures to chemicas found incetain foods, water and ar due to the presence of environmental pollutants is linked to a higher risk for deoxyribonuceic acid (DNA) damage It is believed that the initial step in chemical carcinogenesis is the covalent binding of a chemical to DNA macromolecule resulting DNA adducts. The covalent modification of DNA nucleobases by chemicals can alter the structure and in turn, the biological processing of the DNA by cellular proteins governing replication, transcription and repair. If not repaired or repaired incorrectly, these modifications may eventually lead to mutations and ultimately to cancer, especially if the adduct is located in an oncogene or tumor suppressor geneTherefore the accumulation of DNA adducts can serve as a measure of the critical dose of carcinogen received at the target cells. Dosimetrica studies ofthe accumulation of critical DNA adducts, particularly under environmentally relevant conditions, can constitute important tools in the process of assessment of species susceptibility and rsk assessment
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