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Longitudinal assessment of chlorpyrifos exposure and effect biomarkers in adolescent Egyptian agricultural workers

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 356–362 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is applied seasonally in Egypt by adolescent agricultural workers and the extent of occupational exposure and the potential for environmental CPF exposure in this population is poorly understood. Adolescent pesticide applicators (n=57; 12–21 years of age) and age-matched non-applicators (n=38) from the same villages were followed for 10 months in 2010, spanning pre-application through post-application. Eight urine and five blood samples were collected from participants within this time period. Blood acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; exposure/effect biomarker) and urine 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy; exposure biomarker) were used to assess occupational CPF exposures in pesticide applicators and environmental exposures in non-applicators. Applicators demonstrated significantly higher TCPy concentration and BChE depression than non-applicators throughout CPF application. This difference persisted for 4–7 weeks after the cessation of agricultural spraying. However, both groups exhibited significantly elevated TCPy and depressed BChE, compared with their respective baseline. The peak TCPy levels during the spray season (95% confidence interval (CI)) for non-applicators and applicators reached 16.8 (9.87–28.5) and 137 (57.4–329) ug/g creatinine, respectively. BChE levels (95% CIs) during the spray were as follows: 1.47 (1.28–1.68) for non-applicators and 0.47 (0.24–0.94) U/ml for applicators. The longitudinal assessment of CPF biomarkers provided robust measures of exposure and effect throughout CPF application in adolescents and revealed significant exposures in both applicators and non-applicators. Biomarker data in the non-applicators, which mirrored that of the applicators, indicated that non-applicators received environmental CPF exposures. This suggests that similar exposures may occur in other residents of this region during periods of pesticide application.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the adolescents and their parents for their participation, Steve Hutton (Dow Agrosciences, Indianapolis, IN, USA) for providing 13C-15N-3,5,6-TCP, Barbara McGarrigle for the urinary TCPy analytical work, and the Research Team at the Menoufia University. The work was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, grants nos ES017223 and NIEHS F30 ES020655).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Alice L Crane, Steven T Singleton & James R Olson

  2. Community Medicine and Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

    Gaafar Abdel Rasoul, Ahmed A Ismail & Manal Al-Batanony

  3. Department of Clinical Pathology and Hematology and Immunology, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

    Olfat Hendy

  4. Department of Social and Preventative Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Matthew R Bonner & James R Olson

  5. Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA

    Michael R Lasarev & Diane S Rohlman

  6. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Khalid Khan & Diane S Rohlman

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  1. Alice L Crane
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  2. Gaafar Abdel Rasoul
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  3. Ahmed A Ismail
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  9. Khalid Khan
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Correspondence to Diane S Rohlman.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology website

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Crane, A., Abdel Rasoul, G., Ismail, A. et al. Longitudinal assessment of chlorpyrifos exposure and effect biomarkers in adolescent Egyptian agricultural workers. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 356–362 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.113

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.113

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