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PubMed2005

Pesticides exposure and genetic polymorphism of paraoxonase in the susceptibility of Parkinson's disease.

PURPOSE: The manifestation of Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by bradykinesia, resting tremor, and rigidity. The etiology of PD remains unknown. Recently several studies suggest that some environmental and genetic factors may be related to the cause of PD. Genetic variation in xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes involved in the disposition of pesticides, such as paraoxonase I (PON 1), may increase the risk of PD. We investigated the association between PON1 polymorphism, pesticides exposure and risk of Parkinson's disease in Taiwanese population. METHODS: We enrolled 162 controls and 125 patients with idiopathic PD. Histories of exposures to environmental factors and other information were collected with a questionnaire filled out during a face-to-face interview with the subject. The data included years of farming, drinking water sources, occupational exposures to pesticides, duration and the initial age of the pesticides exposure. Buccal mucosa cells are collected from each subject and PON1 polymorphism at codon 54 (L and M alleles) is studied with PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. RESULTS: There is significant association between the risk of PD and exposure to pesticides (OR=1.72, 95% CI=1.07-2.75). On the otherhand, no significant differences are found in PON1 genotype or allelic distribution between PD and control groups. We further investigated participants who had reported exposure to pesticides and found that the frequency distribution of PON1 genotypes did not differ significantly between patients and controls. CONCLUSION: The present survey reveals the close relationship between exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's disease. There are no significant differences in the distribution of PON1 genotypes between cases and controls.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Pesticide metabolism in humans, including polymorphisms.

Recent epidemiologic studies involving Gulf War veterans or agricultural workers suggest that pesticide-pesticide or pesticide-drug interactions may be related to Gulf-War-related illnesses or elevated cancer risks, respectively. Metabolic interactions are one of many potential mechanisms requiring exploration in humans. The goal of the studies is to characterize important metabolic profiles of selected pesticides and examine potential interactions to characterize human risks associated with exposure. Pesticides examined using human liver microsomes and cytosolic fractions included chlorpyrifos, carbaryl and permethrin. The metabolic pathways involved include cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP), esterases, and alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases. Specific isoforms and some polymorphic enzymes were characterized. Pesticide-pesticide interactions with metabolizing enzymes were demonstrated. Exposure of human hepatocytes to chlorpyrifos and permethrin demonstrated their potential to induce CYP isoforms using the bDNA (branched deoxyribonucleic acid) assay [used to monitor mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) levels]. These studies suggest that knowledge of human metabolic pathways will provide information that can aid the risk assessment process.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed2005

[Pesticides use by flower companies associated with the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters].

INTRODUCTION: In Colombia, pesticide exposure has became a public health problem, as the use of these substances continues to increase. OBJECTIVE: The current study accumulated information concerning pesticides used by flower companies in Bogotá and Rionegro (Antioquia) that were associated with Asociación Colombiana de Exportadores de Flores (Asocolflores) in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-four companies were stratified by geographic location and size. Company and worker information was collected, and for each company, the process of pesticide application and maintenance of the cultivated flowers was carefully observed. Univariate and bivariate, and correlation analyses were applied for data analysis. RESULTS: Sex of workers was 39.4% male and 60.6% female. Pesticides were grouped into 4 toxicity classes: 14.3% were class I, 14.4% class II, 52.0% class III, and 19.2% class IV. Dithiocarbamates was the group of pesticides more commonly used (11.7%). The equipment most frequently used for pesticide application was the "bomba móvil" (92.8%), and the "lanza" (92.9%). Cholinesterase activity measured by the Michel-Aldrige method was the biological marker for exposure to pesticides used in 85.9% of the companies. Recommendations for improvements in their use and for measures to further reduce exposure of workers are made.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

[Effects of residues of organochlorine pesticides on reproductive endocrine in human].

OBJECTIVE: To explore effects of residues of organochlorine pesticides on reproductive endocrine in human. METHODS: The accumulative levels of the pesticides in the pregnant women's venous blood were determined and were grouped to understand the associations among the pesticides, hormones, and genes. RESULTS: (1) With the increase of blood burden of organochlorine pesticides, levels of the hormones such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) in the maternal blood and FSH, luteinizing hormone (LH) and E2 in the umbilical cord blood increased in dose-effect manner, respectively. However, the hormones, for example, LH in the women blood and P in the cords blood decreased respectively with the rising pesticides' levels and an obvious dose-effect relationship was found. (2) The expressional abundances of alpha-estrogen receptor (alpha-ER), beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in the placentae and alpha-ER and beta-EP in the cord tissues went up respectively in dose-effect manner following the rising pesticides' burdens. (3) The times of the previous adverse pregnancy outcomes increased with the increase of the residues' burdens and there were significant differences between the control and various residue groups, but the times in the high-residue was smaller than that in the mid-residue group (P < 0.01). The average weights of the newborn in various residue groups were heavier comparing to the control. There was no significant difference between the high residue group and the control. However, significances existed among the low, intermediate, and control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the rank from high to low was the low-residue, mid-residue and high residue group. CONCLUSION: The residues of organochlorine pesticides (DDT and BHC and their metabolites) possess reproductive and developmental toxicities, and present mostly the estrogenic activity under the joint exposure in which the total BHC concentration was higher than that of the total DDT in maternal blood.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multiresidue determination of pesticides in sediment by ultrasonically assisted extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GS/MS) method was developed for the multiple determination of pesticides in sediment. The investigated pesticides included 85 compounds, i.e., 13 fungicides, 43 herbicides, and 29 insecticides. The pesticides were extracted from sediment samples by an ultrasonically assisted procedure. The extract was cleaned up by using reversed-phase column chromatography followed by normal-phase column chromatography. A styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer cartridge and a silica gel cartridge were used as the reversed-phase column and the normal-phase column, respectively. The compounds were determined by GC/MS with 2 internal standard compounds. The overall recoveries were 70-105%, and the relative standard deviations ranged from 1.5 to 18%. The minimum detectable concentrations were 2-10 microg/kg. This method was successfully applied to sediment samples from the Shin River in Niigata, Japan. Twenty-five pesticides (6 fungicides, 11 herbicides, and 8 insecticides) were detected in the sediment samples. The concentrations of the detected pesticides ranged from 3 to 69 microg/kg. Herbicides were found May through July; insecticides and fungicides were found July through August, and during July through September, respectively. The presence of pesticides in the river sediment was correlated with the time of pesticide application in the Shin River basin.

Efficiency↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Regression analysis of pesticide use and breast cancer incidence in California Latinas.

An evaluation of pesticide use data and breast cancer incidence rates in California Hispanic females was conducted via a regression analysis. The analysis used 1988-2000 data from the California Cancer Registry, the population-based cancer registry that monitors cancer incidence and mortality in California. It also used pesticide use data from 1970-1988 from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. California is the leading agricultural state in the United States, and more than a quarter of all pesticides in the United States are applied there. Hispanic (Latina) females are commonly employed in agricultural operations. The authors performed regression analysis of county-level specific pesticide use data (pounds of active ingredients applied) for two classes of pesticides, organochlorines and triazine herbicides, against the breast cancer incidence rates among Latinas, controlling for age, socioeconomic status, and fertility rates, using negative binomial regression models. A total of 23,513 Latinas were diagnosed with breast cancer in California during the years 1988-1999. Risk of breast cancer was positively and significantly associated with age and socioeconomic status, and inversely and significantly associated with fertility levels. With respect to pesticides, breast cancer was positively associated with pounds of the organochlorines methoxychlor (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] for highest quartile = 1.18; confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.35) and toxaphene (IRR = 1.16; CI = 1.01-1.34). No significant associations were found for the triazine herbicides atrazine and simazine.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Valuation of biodiversity effects from reduced pesticide use.

This study deals with the effects on biodiversity of pesticide-free buffer zones along field margins. Using choice modeling, the majority of respondents to a survey on pesticide use in the environment are willing to accept an increase in the price of bread if the survival of partridge chicks and the number of wild plants increase. The study identifies the need for further empirical work with respect to methodological validation, price estimation, and the use of survey results in policy analysis. In particular, the environmental effects of pesticide use are complex and, therefore, present difficult challenges when presenting information to lay people. Forty-one percent of respondents changed their responses regarding willingness to pay more for bread when references to pesticide use were introduced in the questionnaire. This indicates that scenarios depicting changes in pesticide use can be difficult to present to lay people in an economically rational and well-defined context. Thus, in the study of valuation related to changes in pesticide use, much attention should be devoted to the design and definition of the context. Furthermore, the effects of providing different background information, e.g., with or without the mention of pesticides, should be tested.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Serum organochlorines pesticides level of non-occupational exposure women and risk of breast cancer:a case-control study].

OBJECTIVE: To describe exposure level of organochlorines pesticides residues in non-occupational exposure population in China and testify the hypothesis that organochlorine pesticides exposure may be the risk factor to human breast cancer. METHODS: A case-control study based on community was designed. 90 new diagnostic breast cancer patients from the Second Hospital of Sichuan Province, and 136 health women from community, who settled down in the same district as case were enrolled. The risk factors of breast cancer were investigated by a questionnaire. GC-ECD was used to measure the serum level of Organochlorines pesticide residues. The adjusted odds rations (OR) of organochlorines pesticides residues to breast cancer were evaluated by logistic regression model. RESULTS: 8 organochlorines pesticide residues including p, p'-DDT, p, p'-DDE, o, p'-DDT, p, p'-DDD and alpha, beta, gamma, delta-HCHs (hexachlorocyclohexane) could be detected in serum of cases and controls. The detecting rates of beta-HCH, p, p'-DDE and p, p'-DDT respectively were 91.2%, 92.1% and 91.2%. There were no significant differences of serum level of organochlorines pesticides residues between cases and controls (P > 0.05). After adjusting confounding factors, serum p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and delta-HCH level were positively related to the risk of breast cancer (adjusted OR > 2, P < 0.05) . High serum p,p'-DDT,p,p'-DDD and beta-HCH level were positively correlated to premenopausal women (adjusted ORs respectively were 3.59, 5.70 and 3.06, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Organochlorines pesticides resides, including DDTs and HCHs, may increase women's risk of breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women in China.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Determination of multiple pesticide residues in honey using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

An analytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 23 pesticide residues in various commercial honeys. Meanwhile, the characteristic ions and fragmentation mechanism of three pesticides in the process of electron ionization mass spectrometry (EI/MS) were evaluated. After the optimization of different parameters such as the extraction solvent, pesticides were extracted from honey with ethyl acetate in an ultrasonic bath, cleaned up on a Florisil column by an elution of mixture of hexane and ethyl acetate (7:3, v/v), and analyzed by gas chromatography-electron ionization mass spectrometry (GC-EI/MS) in the selected ion monitoring mode (SIM) with PCB103 as internal standard. Recovery studies were performed at 50, 100 and 200 microg/kg fortification levels for each pesticide, and the recoveries ranged from 82% to 120% with relative st0ndard deviations between 1.8% and 11.0% for different pesticides. The limit of detection was less than 10.0 microg/kg for all the pesticides. The developed method was linear in the range of 10-500 microg/kg, with correlation coefficients larger than 0.995. Finally, the developed analytical method has been successfully applied to the determination of pesticide residues in several honey samples.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗
PubMed1990

Are pesticides immunotoxic?

So far there is little evidence that occupational or environmental exposure to pesticides has led to clinically significant immunosuppression, and hence to an increased risk of developing infection or cancer. In addition, the incidence of hypersensitivity reactions to pesticides is generally low. Experiments have been conducted in experimental models that indicate that certain pesticides are immunosuppressive to animals. The majority of these experiments, however, have used high (frankly toxic) doses of pesticides and immunosuppression has been monitored using in vivo or in vitro immune function tests, the results of which are difficult to interpret in terms of effects on health. One exception is tributyltin oxide which, in the rat, causes immune dysfunction at doses below those that cause general toxicity, and which compromises the ability of the animals to resist bacterial and parasitic infection. Predictive assessment of possible immunotoxicity induced by exposure to a pesticide should be structured within the current framework of acute, subacute and chronic testing procedures used for regulatory purposes. With the exception of predicting some hypersensitivity reactions (respiratory allergy and autoimmunity), which would require the development of novel specialized methods, indications of potential immunotoxicity can be obtained from standard haematological investigations and by evaluation of lymphoid organs and tissues such as the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. Pathological and histopathological examination of the lymphoid system is a mandatory requirement of nearly all subchronic testing guidelines for pesticides worldwide. The incorporation of specialized, and in particular in vitro, immune function tests into the routine toxicological assessment of a pesticide is not only time-consuming and potentially wasteful of animals, but is also scientifically unacceptable; the significance of changes in such tests must await further research on the reserve capacity of the immune system.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Mammalian toxicity and combined exposure to pesticides.

Pesticides are capable of interaction with various entities, which include formulating agents, solvents and carriers, impurities in formulation, and isomeric forms of active ingredients. All these agents could act to reduce or potentiate pesticide toxicity. Pesticides when used in combination could also interact with each other to affect toxicity. Interaction between pesticides could take place via the absorption, distribution or elimination routes. Induction and inhibition of the liver microsomal enzymes could also play significant roles in pesticide interaction and toxicity. Knowledge of the various mechanisms of pesticide interaction should be utilized in predicting the human hazards of pesticide combinations. Hazardous combinations should be avoided.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Summary of illnesses and injuries reported in California by physicians in 1986 as potentially related to pesticides.

As a result of legislation in the early 1970's, physicians are required to report all cases of illness or injury which may have been a result of exposure to pesticides. The California Department of Food and Agriculture receives these reports through a variety of reporting mechanisms and compiles them into an annual data base. In 1986, 2099 illness/injury reports were received by the Worker Health and Safety Branch of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. After investigation by the County Agricultural Commissioners' staff, 1065 (51%) were determined to be confirmed cases of occupational illness/injury related to pesticide exposure. In addition, there were also 146 (7%) cases of non-occupational pesticide-related illness/injury, 424 (20%) cases determined to be unrelated to pesticide exposure, and 464 (22%) cases for which there was insufficient information to determine a cause and effect relationship. The number of confirmed cases of pesticide-related illness/injury decreased by nearly 30% from the corresponding 1985 figures. This apparent decrease is an artifact of the classification scheme employed for 1986. The change is primarily a result of a reduction in the number of field worker cases determined to be confirmed pesticide-related exposures. In previous years most investigations of pesticide application history for grape vineyard worker dermatitis cases were confined to a history from the last field worked prior to visiting a physician. This method assumes no latency period between exposure and onset of symptoms and/or that the worker immediately visited a physician at the onset of symptoms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pesticide effects upon the circadian time structure in the thyroid, adrenal and testis in rats.

An aspect of environmental toxicology, namely the changes in the mammalian time structure induced by chronic exposure to potentially toxic agents used widely in agriculture as pesticides, is reported. Effects of pesticides upon thyroid, adrenal and testis have been described till now, without regard to their time structure. In the present study, the circadian rhythms of RNA, DNA and protein, in these glands were explored by single cosinor analysis, for alterations of their rhythm parameters, after chronic exposure of rats to pesticides. Four herbicides, a fungicide and two insecticides were tested. A wide variety of rhythm alterations were found. It has to be emphasized that several of the changes encountered after chronic exposure of the animals to pesticides, e.g., the form of acrophase alterations, the changes in amplitude or the free-running of several of the rhythms studied, are temporal alterations only, not linked to any changes in mean or mesor. If the circadian rhythms of the functions studied and the predominantly temporal aspects of these changes are ignored, the pesticide effects could remain undetected. The different directions and degress of phase alteration found in the three circadian rhythms studied within the same gland lead to a condition of internal desynchronization within thyroid or adrenal. Of interest is the almost complete lack of effect of these pesticides on the same circadian rhythms in the testis. The data presented indicate that the study of pesticide effects and the effects of other potentially noxious environmental agents upon the mammalian organism, clearly demands the observation of the exposed organism's time structure. Chronotoxicology appears to be essential for increased sensitivity in detecting adverse effects of potentially noxious agents. Early recognition of alterations in the human time structure induced by environmental agents may allow the prevention of clinically manifest damage and disease before it occurs.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1982

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of nonpolar organochlorine pesticide residues in a crude vegetable oil and its refinery by-products.

A crude soybean oil, several of its refinery by-products (described as soapstock, deodorizer distillate, and clabber stock), and the completely refined oil were analyzed for pesticide residues. Fourteen organo-chlorine pesticides and pesticide metabolites were found in the deodorizer distillate; 5 of these were also found in the clabber stock. Levels in these by-products ranged from 0.3 to 8 ppm. Only endrin and dieldrin were detected in the crude oil at levels of 0.01 and 0.05 ppm, respectively. Forty to 150 times these levels were found in the deodorizer distillate and clabber stock. Pesticide residues were not detected in the refined oil or in the soapstock at limits of detection for dieldrin of about 0.01 and 0.1 ppm, respectively. The method used by the Food and Drug Administration to analyze fats and oils for multiple organohalogen pesticide residues was inadequate for the extraction of pesticide residues from vegetable oil refinery by-products. The method used to analyze the crude vegetable oil and the refinery by-products involved dissolution of the oil samples in ethyl acetate-toluene, filtration if necessary, cleanup by gel permeation chromatography, and then Florisil column chromatography. The oil was isolated from aqueous-oil mixtures by extraction with hexane before analysis. The crude soybean oil was fortified with 12 organohalogen pesticides and Aroclor 1254 at levels of 0.5-3.7 ppm. Recoveries ranged from 83 to 102%.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1995

[Enzyme immunoassay of pesticide residues in foods].

Analytical techniques for pesticide residues in food include gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These procedures are time consuming, cumbersome and require specialized instrumentation. A number of enzyme immunoassay methods for pesticide have appeared in recent years. In addition, nowadays a lot of immunoassay kits for various kinds of pesticide are in the market. The assay offers alternative means that is more sensitive, faster and cost-effective than previous methods. However, it is subject to problems that the assay does not suit multi-residue analysis and has possibility to encounter interferences which would affect the assay precision in case of some crops. Assuming that researcher knows which pesticide were applied to the analyzed crops beforehand, the pesticide would be detected easily by immunoassay. Also, when suitable sample kit for analyzed pesticide is available, the assay could be an excellent screening tool for large number of food samples. In conclusion, it will be necessary to consider analytical purpose to confirm utility of immunoassay when applying to pesticide analysis.

Food Analysis↗
PubMed1976

Automated gel permeation chromatographic cleanup of animal and plant extracts for pesticide residue determination.

Applications of an improved gel-solvent system for cleanup of pesticide residues by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were investigated. Elution characteristics using Bio-Beads SX-3 gel and a toluene-ethyl acetate (1+3) elution solvent were determined for 16 nonionic chlorinated pesticides, 3 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 14 chlorophenoxy herbicide esters, and 7 organophosphate insecticides. Elution patterns for vegetable and animal lipids were also studied. Quantitative recoveries of the pesticides were achieved. No liquid-liquid partitioning cleanup steps were required with any type of nonionic chlorinated pesticide or sample matrix. Only GPC cleanup was required for the nonionic chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, and organophosphate pesticide residues in chicken and turkey fat samples. Electron capture and flame photometric detectors were used in the gas chromatographic method for the respective pesticides. Samples containing up to 0.5 g lipid each were processed at the rate of one every 30-40 min with the automated system. Results were in excellent agreement with those from accepted manual partitioning methods and were achieved with significant savings of both labor and chemicals.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Notification of pesticide poisoning in the western Cape, 1987-1991.

There is a paucity of data on pesticide-related morbidity and mortality in South Africa. A review of notifications to the western Cape office of the Department of National Health and Population Development from 1987 to 1991 was undertaken to describe the epidemiological profile of pesticide poisoning in the region. Two hundred and twenty-five cases of pesticide poisoning were identified, of which the majority were from rural areas. Farmers, farm workers and their families were most frequently involved in poisoning events, which included accidents arising outside of workplace production (44%), self-inflicted injury (35%) and direct occupational contamination (11%). Farm pesticide stores were the most frequent source of pesticide and a seasonal variation in the trend of poisoning events could be discerned; this corresponded to agricultural spraying practices in the region. The mortality rate was significantly higher among those with self-inflicted injury, particularly farm workers. A concurrent review of hospital admissions for 1991 found that 78% of cases had not been notified. In view of the key role of surveillance in reducing pesticide-related morbidity and mortality, a call is made to improve notification of pesticide poisoning so as to facilitate control of an important potential public health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Attitudes and practices of pesticide users in Saint Lucia, West Indies.

This article reports the results of a Saint Lucia survey, part of a larger program, that was the first to document the prevalence of suboptimal safety practices among vector control and farm workers using pesticides in the English-speaking Caribbean. Among other things, the survey found that many of 130 pesticide users surveyed were unaware that the skin and eyes were important potential routes of absorption. Over a quarter said they had felt ill at some point as a result of pesticide use. About half the respondents said they had received more than "introductory" training in safe pesticide use, and most said they always found labels or directions affixed to pesticide containers. However, about half said they never or only sometimes understood the labels, and many of those who said they understood did not always follow the instructions. About a quarter of the smokers said they smoked while using pesticides; about a sixth of the survey subjects said they ate food while using pesticides; and over 60% said they never wore protective clothing.

Adolescent↗