Intensity Of Pesticide Use Research Articles

Association of Parkinson's Disease and Its Subtypes with Agricultural Pesticide Exposures in Men: A Case-Control Study in France.

BackgroundPesticides have been associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), but there are few data on important exposure characteristics such as dose–effect relations. It is unknown whether associations depend on clinical PD subtypes.ObjectivesWe examined quantitative aspects of occupational pesticide exposure associated with PD and investigated whether associations were similar across PD subtypes.MethodsAs part of a French population-based case–control study including men enrolled in the health insurance plan for farmers and agricultural workers, cases with clinically confirmed PD were identified through antiparkinsonian drug claims. Two controls were matched to each case. Using a comprehensive occupational questionnaire, we computed indicators for different dimensions of exposure (duration, cumulative exposure, intensity). We used conditional logistic regression to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) among exposed male farmers (133 cases, 298 controls). We examined the relation between pesticides and PD subtypes (tremor dominant/non-tremor dominant) using polytomous logistic regression.ResultsThere appeared to be a stronger association with intensity than duration of pesticide exposure based on separate models, as well as a synergistic interaction between duration and intensity (p-interaction = 0.04). High-intensity exposure to insecticides was positively associated with PD among those with low-intensity exposure to fungicides and vice versa, suggesting independent effects. Pesticide exposure in farms that specialized in vineyards was associated with PD (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.31, 4.98). The association with intensity of pesticide use was stronger, although not significantly (p-heterogeneity = 0.60), for tremor-dominant (p-trend < 0.01) than for non-tremor–dominant PD (p-trend = 0.24).ConclusionsThis study helps to better characterize different aspects of pesticide exposure associated with PD, and shows a significant association of pesticides with tremor-dominant PD in men, the most typical PD presentation.CitationMoisan F, Spinosi J, Delabre L, Gourlet V, Mazurie JL, Bénatru I, Goldberg M, Weisskopf MG, Imbernon E, Tzourio C, Elbaz A. 2015. Association of Parkinson’s disease and its subtypes with agricultural pesticide exposures in men: a case–control study in France. Environ Health Perspect 123:1123–1129; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307970

Land use intensification, commercialization and changes in pest management of smallholder upland agriculture in Thailand

• Agricultural land use intensification was studied using farm survey data from Thailand. • Land use intensification increased farmers’ reliance on synthetic pesticides. • Land use intensification was not associated with a safer use of pesticides. • There is a need to raise farmers’ awareness about pesticide risk. • There is a need for increased promotion of integrated pest management. Agricultural development in lower-income countries and resulting increases in agricultural productivity are generally accompanied by a shift from extensive to more intensive types of land use. The objective of this paper is to analyze how pest and plant disease management among smallholder farmers has changed along with the process of land use intensification, the aim being to identify constraints as well as possible approaches to the use of more sustainable pest and plant disease control practices. Using survey data from 240 smallholder farms located in the upland areas of northern Thailand, we show that land use intensification is accompanied by a reduction in the use of traditional methods of pest management and an increase in the use of synthetic pesticides. While farms with a low level of land use intensity sprayed on average twice a year and used a total of 1.4 kg of active ingredients per ha, farms with a high level of land use intensity sprayed on average 16 times and used 22.0 kg/ha. They also used a greater number of different products and tended to mix them together. The intensity of pesticide use was particularly high for cash crops such as tomatoes, chilies and strawberries. Many farmers experienced health problems related to pesticide use because pesticides were not correctly handled. Greater investment is needed in the development of integrated pest management in the long-term, and health problems may be reduced in the short-term by raising awareness among farmers regarding the risks they are exposing themselves to, as well as by promoting good agricultural practices.

Geographic variations and temporal trends in prostate cancer in Martinique over a 25-year period.

BackgroundIn Martinique, prostate cancer incidence rates have been increasing since the 1980s and are actually among the highest worldwide. Exposure to lifestyle (changes in dietary habits), environmental factors (exposure to organochlorine pesticides) and modifications in diagnostic and screening procedures, are favored etiological hypotheses. The aim of the present study is to describe and interpret prostate cancer incidence trends over the past 25 years (1981–2005) in Martinique.MethodsData on incident prostate cancer cases from 1981 to 2005 were obtained from the population-based Martinique Cancer Registry. World age-standardised incidence rates were calculated and an age-period-cohort model was used to determine average annual variations for prostate cancer during the study period. Age and period effects were assessed, employing the method proposed by Clayton and Schifflers. Relative changes in prostate cancer incidence, at five-year intervals between 1981 and 2005, were also studied with an organochlorine pesticide exposure index, built as a proxy of the relative intensity of chlordecone use on the island between 1973 and 1993.ResultsProstate cancer incidence was found to increase by 5.07% annually between 1981 and 2005. Compared to 1981–1985, prostate cancer relative risk, in men aged 50–74 years and 75 years and above was respectively 5.98% and 3.07% from 2001 to 2005. An inverse association between population pesticide exposure levels and prostate cancer risk was also highlighted, with highest prostate cancer incidences observed in urban zones showing the lowest soil contamination levels by the chlordecone pesticide (zone 1).ConclusionNo conclusive association was found between the intensity of pesticide use and the subsequent rise in prostate cancer incidence. However, it remains necessary to develop and reinforce continuous monitoring of prostate cancer incidence and mortality trends on the island. Further studies are also needed in order to consider other risk factors such as modifications in diagnostic and screening procedures over the last 25 years.

Pesticide Use Practices in Rural Armenia

ABSTRACT Pesticide use can have adverse effects on both human health and the environment. Inappropriate use of pesticides increases the health risk to those who work with or live around pesticides. Educational programs for agricultural workers on the proper use of pesticides and personal protective equipment coupled with pesticide regulations are important tools to reduce the associated health risks. The authors conducted a survey (N = 2336) on pesticide use practices in the Ararat Valley of Armenia in 2000–2006. This study was a cross-sectional design. A multistage sampling method was implemented in the selection of the study population. The authors developed a questionnaire containing 173 questions to evaluate demographic characteristics, health conditions, and details of pesticides use practices. The intensity of pesticide use was high; 82.8% of respondents used them. More than 150 brand names of pesticides were in use. Unregistered, obsolete, expired, and banned compounds were found in active use. Poor compliance with the basic rules of pesticide safety was found throughout the study population, with 21.3% using gloves and only 11% using respirators. The agricultural workers’ knowledge of the toxic properties of these pesticides as well as basic hygienic norms was very low. In some instances, the number of agrichemical applications to crops, particularly cucumbers and melons, reached 40 applications during the growing season. Better protection and training of pesticide users in Armenia is needed.

Agricultural pesticides and land use intensification in high, middle and low income countries

We study levels and trends in agricultural pesticide use for a large cross-section of countries using FAO data for the period 1990–2009. Our analysis shows that a 1% increase in crop output per hectare is associated with a 1.8% increase in pesticide use per hectare but that the growth in intensity of pesticide use levels off as countries reach a higher level of economic development. However, very few high income countries have managed to significantly reduce the level of intensity of their pesticide use, because decreases in insecticide use at higher income levels are largely offset by increases in herbicide and fungicide use. The results also show very rapid growth in the intensity of pesticide use for several middle income countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Cameroon, Malaysia and Thailand. Complementing our analysis with data from the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC), we show that hazardous pesticides covered in the PIC procedure are more weakly regulated in lower than in higher income countries. We discuss the policy challenges facing developing countries with a rapid growth in pesticide use and recommend a four-pronged strategy, including an environmental tax on pesticides with revenues allocated to long-term investments in awareness building, the development of integrated crop management methods and the setting of food safety standards. The interactions between these measures should help contribute to the effectiveness of the overall strategy package.

Is genetically engineered technology a good alternative to pesticide use: the case of GE eggplant in India

Are pesticides used efficiently in eggplant cultivation? Is Genetically Engineered (GE) eggplant a good alternative to pesticide use? Building on the literature on damage control specification for production functions, we estimated the pesticide productivity for eggplant, using data from a farm-level survey conducted in Maharashtra, India. Even though the intensity of pesticide use by Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) growers is less relative to hybrid growers, the average use of pesticides is substantially greater than the estimated optimum use levels. We then used Bt trial plot data to estimate the potential benefits that Bt technology might provide in terms of reduction in pesticide application. If the adoption of GE eggplant reduces the pesticide use by 52%, as is reported from the field trials of GE eggplant, that will result in a saving of Rs. 6844/acre for hybrid growers and Rs. 2784/acre for OPV growers. Results from our study suggest that GE technology provides a good alternative to pesticide use for farmers in developing countries such as India.

Assessing the intensity of pesticide use in agriculture

In order to lower the risks associated to intensive pesticide use, efforts have been made at the European and the national level of several member countries of the European Union. In Germany, a national reduction programme for pesticides had been set up. The programme makes use of the methods elaborated in the context of the NEPTUN-project. The NEPTUN-approach had introduced several indicators to assess the intensity of pesticide use in agriculture. This approach was exemplarily applied to data from a case study region in north-eastern Germany. The aim of the paper is to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the presented approach as based on results gained in the chosen case study region.

Spatial Relationships Between Water Quality and Pesticide Application Rates in Agricultural Watersheds

Pesticide applications to agricultural lands in California, USA, are reported to a central data base, while data on water and sediment quality are collected by a number of monitoring programs. Data from both sources are geo-referenced, allowing spatial analysis of relationships between pesticide application rates and the chemical and biological condition of water bodies. This study collected data from 12 watersheds, selected to represent a range of pesticide usage. Water quality parameters were measured during six surveys of stream sites receiving runoff from the selected watershed areas. This study had three objectives: to evaluate the usefulness of pesticide application data in selecting regional monitoring sites, to provide information for generating and testing hypotheses about pesticide fate and effects, and to determine whether in-stream nitrate concentration was a useful surrogate indicator for regional monitoring of toxic substances. Significant correlations were observed between pesticide application rates and in-stream pesticide concentrations (p < 0.05) and toxicity (p < 0.10). In-stream nitrate concentrations were not significantly correlated with either the amount of pesticides applied, in-stream pesticide concentrations, or in-stream toxicity (all p > 0.30). Neither total watershed area nor the area in which pesticide usage was reported correlated significantly with the amount of pesticides applied, in-stream pesticide concentrations, or in-stream toxicity (all p > 0.14). In-stream pesticide concentrations and effects were more closely related to the intensity of pesticide use than to the area under cultivation.