Predictors of Urinary 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid Levels in 50 North Carolina Adults.

Marsha Morgan,Dana Boyd Barr,Jon Sobus,Paul Jones

doi:10.3390/ijerph13111172

Abstract

Limited data are available on the non-chemical stressors that impact adult exposures to pyrethroid insecticides based on urinary biomonitoring. The urinary metabolite, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), is commonly used to assess human exposure to a number of pyrethroids. In a further analysis of published study data, we quantified urinary 3-PBA levels of 50 adults over a single, 24-h sampling period and examined the associations between the biomarker measurements and selected non-chemical stressors (demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors). A convenience sample of 50 adults was recruited in North Carolina in 2009–2011. Participants collected individual urine voids (up to 11) and filled out activity, food, and pesticide use diaries over a 24-h sampling period. Urine voids (n = 326) were analyzed for 3-PBA concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. 3-PBA was detected in 98% of the 24-h composited urine samples. The geometric mean urinary 3-PBA level was 1.68 ng/mL in adults. Time spent outside (p = 0.0006) was a highly significant predictor of natural log-transformed (ln) urinary 3-PBA levels, while consumption of coffee (p = 0.007) and breads (p = 0.019) and ln creatinine levels (p = 0.037) were significant predictors of urinary 3-PBA levels. In conclusion, we identified specific factors that substantially increased adult exposures to pyrethroids in their everyday environments.

Highlights

Pyrethroids are a class of synthetic insecticides that were developed over 40 years ago [1,2].Over the past decade, the popularity and the use of pyrethroids in the United States (U.S.) to control insects at homes and on agricultural fields have dramatically increased [3,4,5]
The results showed that 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) was frequently detected (98%) in the adults’ 24-h composited urine samples
In our current study based on the 24-h composited urinary 3-PBA data, we found that 98% of the Ex-R adults were exposed to one or more pyrethroids in North Carolina (NC)

Summary

Introduction

Pyrethroids are a class of synthetic insecticides that were developed over 40 years ago [1,2].Over the past decade, the popularity and the use of pyrethroids in the United States (U.S.) to control insects at homes and on agricultural fields have dramatically increased [3,4,5]. More than 20 pyrethroids are currently registered for use in residential and/or agricultural settings by the U.S Environmental. Several studies have found a number of these pyrethroids in samples of dust, surface wipes, food, and/or beverages at U.S homes [7,8,9,10,11]. This information suggests that adults are likely being exposed to pyrethroid insecticides through the dietary, non-dietary, and dermal routes. Research has indicated that dietary ingestion is likely the dominant exposure route of adults to pyrethroids in residential environments [12,13]

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Discussion

Conclusion