Effects of an Educational Intervention on Organophosphate Pesticides in the Risk Perception and Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon and Parathion Metabolites Levels in Chilean Rural Schoolchildren

Abstract

Background: Organophosphate (OP) pesticides, if not applied with due precautions, can be hazardous to health. There is evidence in the Maule region that rural school children are exposed to OP. Objective: To evaluate the impact that an educational intervention has on the exposure to OP and risk perception of two school communities in the Maule Region. Method: A cross-community randomized trial was applied in schoolchildren from two rural schools in the Maule Region in 2016-2017. The sample size was 48 (24 for each school). The average concentration of OP metabolites chlorpyrifos (CPM), diazinon (Oxy2), malathion (MAM) and paration (PAR) in repeated measurements of urine samples of schoolchildren during a week for two days at the beginning of October and two days was evaluated at the end of November of each year. The risk perception of schoolchildren and their parents before and after the intervention was measured simultaneously. Samples were analyzed at the CDC laboratory (USA). Results: Preliminary results for 2016 are showed here. MAM were below the limit of detection (LOD); while OP of measure 1 were CPM = 1.2g / L and measure 2 CPM = 1.3g / L; measure 1 Oxy2 = 0.09 g / L and measure 2 Oxy2 = 0.4g / L; measure 1 PAR = 0.9 g / L and measure 2 PAR = 1.2g / L. The PAR is banned in Chile since 2000. In multiple linear regression models, CPM metabolites in the urine were associated with fruit at school and application of OP pesticides at home. PAR and CPM were correlated in urine in both measurements (p = 0.0004) suggesting that both are applied combined. The educational intervention allowed a greater awareness and knowledge of the risks of OP in schoolchildren and their parents. Conclusion: It is necessary to strengthen the intervention of school communities, involve government entities and agricultural companies, considering that are applying dangerous pesticides without preventing the population, providing guidelines to reduce community exposure.