Abstract
Exposure to pesticides and fertilizers lowers the level of trace elements in the human body for several reasons. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pesticide exposure to the levels of trace elements of farmers in Bachok and Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia. This cross sectional study involved 89 farmers. Demographic data and information on the duration of the exposure to the pesticides and fertilizers, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) practice habits, were determined through questionnaire. The levels of selenium, manganese, zinc, copper and chromium samples of fingernails, toenails and hair were determined through the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The levels of the trace elements were not influenced by gender, age and the period of exposure. Only the manganese levels found in the hair samples (r = 0.250) show a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) with the working period. PPE practice habit also have significant correlation (p < 0.05) with manganese level in fingernails (r = 0.530) and toenails (r = -0.353), zinc level in hair (r = -0.439) and chromium level in fingernails (r = -0.306). Exposure towards pesticide and fertilizer decreased the trace element level in nails and hair of farmers. Additionally, the level of trace elements can be influenced by health status, working period, dietary habit and PPE practices.
Highlights
Trace elements are essential components of human biological structures
The hair and nail sample were collected from the farmers who used pesticides and fertilizers for more than one year and who had previously fill out the questionnaire for the trace elements analysis
The two factors that act indirectly in lowering the levels of trace elements in this study were the duration of exposures to pesticide and fertilizer and the protective equipment (PPE) practices used by the farmers
Summary
Trace elements are essential components of human biological structures. They are involved in most of the biochemical processes in the human body. Exposure to pesticides and fertilizers has been shown lower the levels of trace elements in the human body as an antagonistic effect from the heavy metals that pesticides and fertilizers contain (Watts, 1990). A deficiency of these elements can disturb some metabolic processes in the body, which eventually leads to various health problems. The five trace elements that were assessed in this study are selenium (Se), manganese (Mn); zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr). A deficiency in selenium can lead to various health problems such as a loss of immunocompetence (Rayman, 2000)
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