Adverse Health Effects in Women Farmers Indirectly Exposed to Pesticides.

Jose Martin-Reina,Isaías Fernández,Ana I Morales,Isabel Moreno,Juan Bautista,Bouchra Dahiri,Alfredo G Casanova,Ana Fernández-Palacín

doi:10.3390/ijerph18115909

Abstract

Farmers are among the most vulnerable populations because of the exposure to low levels of pesticides. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities are considered as biomarkers of pesticides poisoning. However, biomarkers of oxidative stress are also playing an important role in toxicity of these contaminants. Further, increased activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase, urea and creatinine have been linked with hepatic and nephrotoxic cell damage, respectively. The aim of this study was to ascertain if the indirect exposure to pesticides leads to some biochemical parameter changes. Thus, cholinesterase activities, oxidative stress status (lipid and protein oxidation), hepatic function (AST and ALT levels), hormonal function (TSH, T4, FSH, LH and AMH), renal function (serum creatinine and urea), as well as possible subclinical kidney damage (urinary proteins and biomarkers of early kidney damage) were evaluated in farmer women who collect fruits and vegetables comparing with a group of women non-occupational exposed to pesticides but living in the same rural environment. Samples were taken periodically along one year to relate the observed effects to a chronic exposure. Our main results showed for the first time a subclinical kidney damage in a rural setting with indirect chronic exposure to pesticides.

Highlights

Agrochemicals, including pesticides, are extensively used in agriculture practices to kill pests that harm crops, enhancing agricultural productivity
Cholinesterase activities, oxidative stress status, hepatic function (AST and ALT levels), hormonal function (TSH, T4, folliclestimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)) and renal function, as well as possible subclinical kidney damage were evaluated in farmer women who collect fruits and vegetables comparing with a group of women non-occupational exposed to pesticides but living in the same rural environment
Twenty-two women farmers involved in recollection of vegetables and fruits were evaluated in comparison with the non-occupational exposed (NOE) group formed by 17 women who work in the canned factory in the same town at least in the last 10 years in order to ensure that they were not previously involved in farming activities

Summary

Introduction

Agrochemicals, including pesticides, are extensively used in agriculture practices to kill pests that harm crops, enhancing agricultural productivity. These chemicals are potentially toxic to some organisms, including humans, and need to be safely used and properly disposed [1]. Due to their indiscriminate use in a number of applications there is a high risk of exposure to these pesticides through occupational and non-occupational settings [2]. Exposure to low-levels of pesticides is known to produce a variety of biochemical changes, some of which may be responsible for the adverse biological effects

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