Home Pesticide Research Articles

PESTISIDA RUMAH TANGGA UNTUK PENGENDALIAN HAMA PERMUKIMAN PADA RUMAH TANGGA

Pesticides have become public’s need for most of Indonesian people, especially those who live in urban areas. This is due to pesticide application is the only way used by those community to control urban pest population. Unfortunately, that choice has bad impact to human health and the environment. The objective of the study was determine the factors that influence people's behavior in choosing the type of pesticides and formulation, to classify home pesticides toxicity used by the public to urban pests control, the impact of pesticides to human health and proper application based instruction manual written on the label. Data assessment revealed that peoples were very annoyed with the presence of urban pest, such as mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, and flies. Although ants were more frequently found with higher population level, but people felt that the most disturbing one was mosquito, because they were very worry about dengue fever. To control these pests, pesticides with active ingredients cypermethrin, imiprothrin, and tansfluthrin were the most widely used by the community. Most people used pesticides with the toxicity level classified as Ib – III, according to WHO toxicity classification. The impact of pesticide exposures to human health were/ the symptoms poisoning or symptoms similar to poisoning. As much as 44.5% of people surveyed showed the symptom related to respiratory problems, 25 % of people experienced dizziness, 2.5% experienced itching on the skin, 12.5% experienced nausea and vomiting, and 5.36% had fainted. Survey was also found that 52.35% of respondents read pesticide label before use it, meanwhile 61.90% of respondents did not use pesticide properly, the later found in those who read the label or those who didn’t. Keyword: home pesticides, active ingredient, urban pest, and housewife, environmental

PRENATAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE, SUPPLEMENTATION WITH OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS DURING PREGNANCY AND RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS IN INFANT FROM CUERNAVACA, MEXICO

Background and aims: Maternal consumption of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid can to act as an adjuvant in the immune system and have effects on the neonatal inflammatory response. We conducted the present study to investigate the effect of prenatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on respiratory symptoms and to identify the main prenatal environmental risk factors for these symptoms in infants. Methods: We included 784 infants whose mothers were randomly assigned to receive daily supplement of 400 mg of DHA or placebo from week 18-22 of pregnancy until childbirth. During pregnancy we collect information on sociodemographics characteristics, past health history, maternal stress and environmental exposures. Also, we collected blood samples to determine maternal specific IgE levels in plasma. Child respiratory symptoms information was collected using a recall questionnaire at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months of age. Poisson regression models were used to identify the main prenatal risk factors for respiratory symptoms. Results: The occurrence of respiratory symptoms did not differ significantly between groups; however, the occurrence of a combined measure of some symptoms was lower in the DHA group. We observed that the higher risk of respiratory symptoms were for the children whose mothers were randomly assigned to receive placebo. The main risks factors were use pesticides in home (OR= 1.18; 95%IC 1.08, 1.29) gender male (OR= 1.09; 95% CI 1.01, 1.18) and maternal atopy (OR= 1.03 95%CI 0.95, 1.12). Conclusions: DHA supplementation during pregnancy decreased the occurrence of respiratory symptoms in infants and this study strengthens the evidence that the family history and prenatal environmental exposure in early stages of life increase the risk of respiratory symptoms in childhood.

Pesticides in house dust from urban and farmworker households in California: an observational measurement study

BackgroundStudies report that residential use of pesticides in low-income homes is common because of poor housing conditions and pest infestations; however, exposure data on contemporary-use pesticides in low-income households is limited. We conducted a study in low-income homes from urban and agricultural communities to: characterize and compare house dust levels of agricultural and residential-use pesticides; evaluate the correlation of pesticide concentrations in samples collected several days apart; examine whether concentrations of pesticides phased-out for residential uses, but still used in agriculture (i.e., chlorpyrifos and diazinon) have declined in homes in the agricultural community; and estimate resident children's pesticide exposures via inadvertent dust ingestion.MethodsIn 2006, we collected up to two dust samples 5-8 days apart from each of 13 urban homes in Oakland, California and 15 farmworker homes in Salinas, California, an agricultural community (54 samples total). We measured 22 insecticides including organophosphates (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, diazinon-oxon, malathion, methidathion, methyl parathion, phorate, and tetrachlorvinphos) and pyrethroids (allethrin-two isomers, bifenthrin, cypermethrin-four isomers, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, imiprothrin, permethrin-two isomers, prallethrin, and sumithrin), one phthalate herbicide (chlorthal-dimethyl), one dicarboximide fungicide (iprodione), and one pesticide synergist (piperonyl butoxide).ResultsMore than half of the households reported applying pesticides indoors. Analytes frequently detected in both locations included chlorpyrifos, diazinon, permethrin, allethrin, cypermethrin, and piperonyl butoxide; no differences in concentrations or loadings were observed between locations for these analytes. Chlorthal-dimethyl was detected solely in farmworker homes, suggesting contamination due to regional agricultural use. Concentrations in samples collected 5-8 days apart in the same home were strongly correlated for the majority of the frequently detected analytes (Spearman ρ = 0.70-1.00, p < 0.01). Additionally, diazinon and chlorpyrifos concentrations in Salinas farmworker homes were 40-80% lower than concentrations reported in samples from Salinas farmworker homes studied between 2000-2002, suggesting a temporal reduction after their residential phase-out. Finally, estimated non-dietary pesticide intake for resident children did not exceed current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) recommended chronic reference doses (RfDs).ConclusionLow-income children are potentially exposed to a mixture of pesticides as a result of poorer housing quality. Historical or current pesticide use indoors is likely to contribute to ongoing exposures. Agricultural pesticide use may also contribute to additional exposures to some pesticides in rural areas. Although children's non-dietary intake did not exceed U.S. EPA RfDs for select pesticides, this does not ensure that children are free of any health risks as RfDs have their own limitations, and the children may be exposed indoors via other pathways. The frequent pesticide use reported and high detection of several home-use pesticides in house dust suggests that families would benefit from integrated pest management strategies to control pests and minimize current and future exposures.

Occupational and residential exposure to electromagnetic fields and risk of brain tumors in adults: A case–control study in Gironde, France

The etiology of brain tumors remains largely unknown. Among potential risk factors, exposure to electromagnetic fields is suspected. We analyzed the relationship between residential and occupational exposure to electromagnetic field and brain tumors in adults. A case-control study was carried out in southwestern France between May 1999 and April 2001. A total of 221 central nervous system tumors (105 gliomas, 67 meningiomas, 33 neurinomas and 16 others) and 442 individually age- and sex-matched controls selected from general population were included. Electromagnetic field exposure [extremely low frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency separately was assessed in occupational settings through expert judgement based on complete job calendar, and at home by assessing the distance to power lines with the help of a geographical information system. Confounders such as education, use of home pesticide, residency in a rural area and occupational exposure to chemicals were taken into account. Separate analyses were performed for gliomas, meningiomas and acoustic neurinomas. A nonsignificant increase in risk was found for occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields [odds ratio (OR = 1.52, 0.92-2.51)]. This increase became significant for meningiomas, especially when considering ELF separately [OR = 3.02; 95 percent confidence interval (95% CI) =1.10-8.25]. The risk of meningioma was also higher in subjects living in the vicinity of power lines (<100 m), even if not significant (OR = 2.99, 95% CI 0.86-10.40). These data suggest that occupational or residential exposure to ELF may play a role in the occurrence of meningioma.

Indoor pesticide application practices and levels in homes of Bangkok Metropolitan Region

This study investigated the indoor application practices of pesticides in different homes located in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR). A multi-stage stratified-judgmental sampling was applied to select 280 representative households in BMR for an in-depth questionnaire survey. We found about 71% of these households having mosquitoes as their main indoor nuisance. An inventory on the types and active ingredients was obtained through a shop-shelf survey. Among 22 available commercial products, 12 different active ingredients were observed with the pyrethroid containing pesticides are the most common. The stepwise regression analysis was conducted to reveal the statistical association between indoor levels of total pyrethriods (in the air and on the floor surface of homes) and the household application practices such as the overlap time period since the last application, application and storage locations, and frequency of applications, for instances.

Integrating Environmental Health into Nurse Practitioner Training—Childhood Pesticide Exposure Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Management

The use of pesticides in agriculture, public places, and private homes and gardens is ubiquitous throughout the United States. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure because of immature biological and developmental processes. Thus, it is important that primary health care providers identify clients at risk for pesticide exposure and poisoning and know how to respond effectively if clients experience exposure. However, many primary health care providers are not adequately trained or prepared to manage the health-related effects of pesticide exposure. Recent efforts, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have addressed this shortcoming in nursing and medical education. A primary initiative is to find ways to integrate basic environmental health content, specifically regarding pesticide exposure, into nursing and medical curricula. As one strategy to achieve this, a pilot case study was developed by revising and enhancing an existing pediatric case study used in a required course for nurse practitioner students. The aim was to raise students' awareness of risk assessment, prevention, and appropriate care strategies for pesticide exposure. Evaluation of students' experience with the pilot case study suggested it was a meaningful and valued addition to their training, as well as an efficient way to introduce environmental health content into primary health care provider curricula.

Integrating Environmental Health into Nurse Practitioner Training—Childhood Pesticide Exposure Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Management

The use of pesticides in agriculture, public places, and private homes and gardens is ubiquitous throughout the United States. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure because of immature biological and developmental processes. Thus, it is important that primary health care providers identify clients at risk for pesticide exposure and poisoning and know how to respond effectively if clients experience exposure. However, many primary health care providers are not adequately trained or prepared to manage the health-related effects of pesticide exposure. Recent efforts, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have addressed this shortcoming in nursing and medical education. A primary initiative is to find ways to integrate basic environmental health content, specifically regarding pesticide exposure, into nursing and medical curricula. As one strategy to achieve this, a pilot case study was developed by revising and enhancing an existing pediatric case study used in a required course for nurse practitioner students. The aim was to raise students' awareness of risk assessment, prevention, and appropriate care strategies for pesticide exposure. Evaluation of students' experience with the pilot case study suggested it was a meaningful and valued addition to their training, as well as an efficient way to introduce environmental health content into primary health care provider curricula.

Integrating environmental health into nurse practitioner training-childhood pesticide exposure risk assessment, prevention, and management.

The use of pesticides in agriculture, public places, and private homes and gardens is ubiquitous throughout the United States. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure because of immature biological and developmental processes. Thus, it is important that primary health care providers identify clients at risk for pesticide exposure and poisoning and know how to respond effectively if clients experience exposure. However, many primary health care providers are not adequately trained or prepared to manage the health-related effects of pesticide exposure. Recent efforts, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have addressed this shortcoming in nursing and medical education. A primary initiative is to find ways to integrate basic environmental health content, specifically regarding pesticide exposure, into nursing and medical curricula. As one strategy to achieve this, a pilot case study was developed by revising and enhancing an existing pediatric case study used in a required course for nurse practitioner students. The aim was to raise students' awareness of risk assessment, prevention, and appropriate care strategies for pesticide exposure. Evaluation of students' experience with the pilot case study suggested it was a meaningful and valued addition to their training, as well as an efficient way to introduce environmental health content into primary health care provider curricula.

Pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease: The Legacy of Contaminated Well Water

Vol. 117, No. 12 NewsOpen AccessPesticides and Parkinson’s Disease: The Legacy of Contaminated Well Water Tina Adler Tina Adler Search for more papers by this author Published:1 December 2009https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.117-a553aAboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit Epidemiologic studies since the early 1990s have suggested that exposure to various classes of pesticides increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Animal studies have backed up that link, revealing how pesticides may target the dopaminergic system, which is damaged in PD. New data from the Parkinson’s Environment and Genes Study show that residents of California’s Central Valley who over many years drank well water that was probably highly contaminated with certain pesticides were more likely to have PD or PD symptoms than residents who didn’t drink contaminated well water [EHP117:1912–1918; Gatto et al.].Private wells are at risk of pesticide contamination because pesticides can drift several hundred meters from application sites and travel through the soil. Moreover, many of the private wells studied were less than 15–20 yd deep, lessening the likelihood that pesticides will have degraded by the time they reach the water supply. Unlike municipal water supplies, private well water is not required to be monitored for contamination.The researchers analyzed long-term data on pesticide application rates near the homes of the study participants, who included 368 people clinically confirmed to have possible or probable PD and 341 controls. The authors had access to 26 years’ worth of data collected under California’s mandated pesticide use reports program on the commercial application of pesticides, including where the pesticides were applied, on what date, and in what quantities. They studied 26 pesticides that were potential groundwater contaminants or that had been previously linked to PD.The researchers combined those data with land-use maps, which the California Department of Water Resources updates every 7–10 years, to pinpoint more precisely where pesticides had been applied. Using geographic information system software, they were able to merge historical data on home addresses, land use, and pesticide applications. The result was a prediction of amounts of pesticides applied per acre per year within 500 m of the study participants’ homes.People with PD were more likely to get their water from private wells and to have drunk well water longer than controls. Whereas people with exposure to ambient pesticides—essentially, proximity to sites where pesticides were applied—were 15–57% more likely to be classified as having PD than people without ambient exposure, those with combined ambient exposure and exposure via well water potentially contaminated with methomyl, chlorpyrifos, or propargite were 67%, 87%, or 92% more likely to be cases. The odds of PD also increased as the number of different pesticides that potentially contaminated a subject’s drinking water increased.Unlike previous research on the link between PD and pesticide exposures, this study used a semiquantitative approach to estimating pesticide exposure and did not rely on study subjects’ recall. Also, all PD cases were clinically confirmed by a movement disorder specialist. The results therefore considerably strengthen the evidence that exposure to pesticides in well water may contribute to PD.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 117, No. 12 December 2009Metrics About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 December 2009Published in print1 December 2009 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.

Household exposure to pesticides and bladder exstrophy in a newborn baby boy: a case report and review of the literature

IntroductionBladder exstrophy is a rare urogenital abnormality. Other urogenital malformations have been associated with exposure to hormonal pesticide disruptors during critical developmental periods. This is the first report in the literature to associate household exposure to pesticides with bladder exstrophy.Case presentationWe describe the pediatric environmental history of a newborn baby boy with isolated bladder exstrophy. In this case the pediatric environmental history includes the constitutional, genealogical, genetic and environmental factors related to bladder exstrophy, which revealed a cockroach infestation in the parents' home and the daily use of bug spray to kill them. The mother used one bottle of spray every 2 days (1000cc) and more in the summer, when the problem was worse. During gestational weeks 0-12, the mother intensively used a domestic pesticide consisting of a mixture of pyrethroids (cyfenothrin 0.5%, and tetramethrin 0.31%) and pyriproxyfen (0.01%). She described repeated episodes of mild to moderate poisoning that are associated with the use of household pesticides. The mother is a housewife and the father works as a fumigator of fruit fields and he reported gastrointestinal symptoms associated with the use of occupational pesticides. However, he did not believe he carried traces of these products into the home and his wife washed his work clothes separately. The pyrethroids and pyriproxyfen were detected in a urine sample obtained from the child 4 months after he was born. No other risk factors were identified.ConclusionsA detailed and carefully conducted pediatric environmental history, which includes information about home pesticide use, should be carried out for all children with bladder exstrophy. Domestic exposure to pesticides during critical developmental periods may have deleterious effects for the fetus.

DDT Exposure, Work in Agriculture, and Time to Pregnancy Among Farmworkers in California

This study examined whether exposure to pesticides, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), was associated with longer time to pregnancy (TTP). Pregnant women (N = 402) living in a migrant farmworker community were asked how many months they took to conceive. Women reported their and their partners' occupational and home pesticide exposure preceding conception. In a subset (N = 289), levels of DDT and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), were measured in maternal serum. No associations were seen with p, p'-DDT, o, p'-DDT, or p, p'-DDE. Maternal occupational pesticide exposure (fecundability odds ratios [fOR] = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6 to 1.0), home pesticide use (fOR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4 to 0.9), and residence within 200 ft of an agricultural field (fOR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5 to 1.0) were associated with reduced fecundability (ie, longer TTP). Longer TTP was seen among women, but not men, reporting exposure to agricultural and home pesticides.

Combined analysis of prenatal (maternal hair and blood) and neonatal (infant hair, cord blood and meconium) matrices to detect fetal exposure to environmental pesticides

Objective The aim of this study was to determine optimum biomarkers to detect fetal exposure to environmental pesticides by the simultaneous analysis of maternal (hair and blood) and infant (cord blood, infant hair or meconium) matrices and to determine if a combination of these biomarkers will further increase the detection rate. Patients and methods Pregnant women were prospectively recruited from an agricultural site in the Philippines with substantial use at home and in the farm of the following pesticides: propoxur, cyfluthrin, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, pretilachlor, bioallethrin, malathion, diazinon and transfluthrin. Maternal hair and blood were obtained at midgestation and at delivery and infant hair, cord blood and meconium were obtained after birth. All samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for the above pesticides and some of their metabolites. Results A total of 598 mother/infant dyads were included in this report. The highest rates of pesticide exposure were detected in meconium (23.2% to propoxur, 2.0% to pretilachlor, 1.7% to cypermethrin, 0.8% to cyfluthrin, 0.7% to 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis, p-chlorophenylethane (DDT) and 0.3% to malathion and bioallethrin) and in maternal hair (21.6% to propoxur, 14.5% to bioallethrin, 1.3% to malathion, 0.8% to DDT, 0.3% to chlorpyrifos and 0.2% to pretilachlor). Combined analysis of maternal hair and meconium increased detection rate further to 38.5% for propoxur and to 16.7% for pyrethroids. Pesticide metabolites were rarely found in any of the analyzed matrices. Conclusions There is significant exposure of the pregnant woman and her fetus to pesticides, particularly to the home pesticides, propoxur and pyrethroids. Analysis of meconium for pesticides was the single most sensitive measure of exposure. However, combined analysis of maternal hair and meconium significantly increased the detection rate. A major advantage of analyzing maternal hair is that prenatal pesticide exposure in the mother can be detected and intervention measures can be initiated to minimize further exposure of the fetus to pesticides.

Residential exposures to pesticides and childhood leukaemia

Like many chemicals, carcinogenicity of pesticides is poorly characterised in humans, especially in children, so that the present knowledge about childhood leukaemia risk derives primarily from epidemiological studies. Overall, case-control studies published in the last decade have reported positive associations with home use of insecticides, mostly before the child's birth, while findings for herbicides are mixed. Previous studies relied solely on self-reports, therefore lacking information on active ingredients and effects of potential recall bias. Few series to date have examined the influence of children's genetic susceptibility related to transport and metabolism of pesticides. To overcome these limitations, investigators of the Northern California Childhood Leukaemia Study (NCCLS) have undertaken, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, a comprehensive assessment of residential pesticide exposure, including: (1) quality control of self-reports; (2) home pesticide inventory and linkage to the Environmental Protection Agency to obtain data on active ingredients; (3) collection and laboratory analyses of approximately 600 home dust samples for over 60 pesticides and (4) geographic information studies using California environmental databases to assess exposure to agricultural pesticides. The NCCLS is also conducting large-scale genotyping to evaluate the role of genes in xenobiotic pathways relevant to the transport and metabolism of pesticides. A better quantification of children's exposures to pesticides at home is critical to the evaluation of childhood leukaemia risk, especially for future gene-environment interaction studies.

Keep the Sprays Away?: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancers

Vol. 115, No. 12 EnvironewsOpen AccessKeep the Sprays Away?: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancers Tina Adler Tina Adler Search for more papers by this author Published:1 December 2007https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a594aAboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit Previous studies have suggested a link between pesticide use in the home and childhood hematopoietic tumors, the most common type of childhood cancer. A new epidemiologic study of French children diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma in 2003 or 2004 suggests that a child has about twice the risk of developing acute leukemia (AL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) if his or her mother used insecticides in the home while pregnant [EHP 115:1787–1793; Rudant et al.].The researchers interviewed 1,060 children diagnosed within the prior 6 months and 1,681 control children. When analyzing the data on the children, the team controlled for other factors that may alter a child’s risk of getting cancer, including family cancer history and whether the child was breastfed. The children with cancer were part of the French National Registry of Childhood Blood Malignancies, begun in 1990, which documents all children in the country under age 15 year who have had hematopoietic tumors.The researchers asked the children’s mothers about their use while pregnant of pesticides in their homes, on pets, and in the garden. They also asked about the father’s use of pesticides while the mother was pregnant and after the child’s birth. Just over 50% of the parents who had a child with AL or NHL had used pesticides at least once during the pregnancy, as did just under 40% of the parents of the control group. Children had 2.1 and 1.8 times the risk of developing AL or NHL, respectively, with maternal use of pesticides during pregnancy.Mothers’ use of insecticides during pregnancy was significantly associated with childhood AL, NHL, and mixed-cell Hodgkin lymphomas (HLs). Use of pesticides by fathers was also related to AL and NHL. The association was stronger for common B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloblastic leukemia than for T-cell ALL or mature B-cell ALL. It was also stronger for Burkitt lymphoma than for the other NHLs. Of the HLs, the study linked only the mixed-cell subtype to pesticide use. The strength of the association between pesticide use in the home and cancer did not change as the children grew older.This is the first study to tease out the different types of hematopoietic cancers as they relate to pesticide use in the home. Other studies have found a link between parents’ occupational exposure to pesticides and childhood cancers, but few of the parents in the French study were exposed to pesticides at work or through farming. Whether a family was rural or urban didn’t alter a child’s risk of developing cancer.The two types of lymphoma associated with maternal pesticide use during pregnancy have also both been linked to the Epstein-Barr virus, which may suggest a link between pesticide exposure and susceptibility to a viral lymphoma. According to the authors, the consistency of the findings suggests pregnant women may want to avoid pesticide use.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 115, No. 12 December 2007Metrics About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 December 2007Published in print1 December 2007 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.

A comparison of infant hair, cord blood and meconium analysis to detect fetal exposure to environmental pesticides

Objective : The detection of fetal exposure to environmental pesticides is important because many of the pesticides are neurotoxicants and fetal exposure to these compounds can adversely affect prenatal and subsequent neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to determine, by the comparative analysis of infant hair, cord blood and meconium, the most sensitive matrix to detect fetal exposure to pesticides. Patients and methods : Pregnant women were prospectively recruited from an agricultural site in the Philippines where a preliminary survey indicated a substantial use at home and in the farm of the following pesticides: propoxur, cyfluthrin, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, pretilachlor, bioallethrin, malathion, diazinon and transfluthrin. Infant hair, cord blood and meconium were obtained after birth and were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for the above compounds, including lindane and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis, p-chlorophenylethane (DDT) and some of their known metabolites. Results : A total of 638 infants were included in the study. The highest exposure rate to pesticides was detected in meconium (23.8% to propoxur, 1.9% to pretilachlor, 1.9% to cypermethrin, 0.8% to cyfluthrin, 0.6% to DDT and 0.3% to malathion and bioallethrin). Cord blood was only positive for propoxur (1.9%) whereas infant hair was only positive for chlorpyrifos (0.2%). The highest exposure was to household pesticide (propoxur). The frequency and concentration of pesticides were compared in the three matrices and there was a significantly higher frequency and concentration of propoxur, pretilachlor, DDT, cyfluthrin and cypermethrin in meconium compared to cord blood and infant hair. Pesticide metabolites were not found in any of the matrices analyzed, except in one meconium sample which was positive for 4,4′ dichlorodiphenyldichloro ethylene (DDE), a DDT metabolite. Conclusions : There is significant exposure of the pregnant woman and her fetus to pesticides, particularly to the home pesticide, propoxur. Our study has demonstrated that among cord blood, meconium or infant hair, meconium is the most sensitive matrix to analyze for fetal exposure to pesticides. The accumulation of pesticides in meconium, the ease of meconium collection and the large amount of meconium that could be collected are factors that contribute to the increased sensitivity of this matrix.

Genetic Instability in Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSF) Children of Mexican Origin From Texas

ISEE-243 Objective: To evaluate the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CA) in the lymphocytes of migrant/seasonal farmworker (MSF) children from urban (Baytown) and agricultural (La Joya) regions of Texas. Material and Methods: It is well-documented from prospective population studies that higher frequency of CA in circulating lymphocytes indicates an increased risk for cancer. We used the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) cytogenetic technique, an employed biomarker of genotoxic effects in populations exposed to environmental contaminants, to evaluate the frequency of CA in 73 MSF children aged 5 to 18 enrolled in our ongoing study Biomarkers of Genetic Susceptibility in Environmentally Exposed MSF Children. Chi-square and 2-sample t tests were used to describe the sociodemographic and exposure characteristics of study participants; 2-sample t test was used to calculate differences in mean CA between groups and linear regression analyses to determine the relationship between CA and epidemiologic data (the children's gender, age, birthplace, city of residence, and home pesticide use). Results: Most of the children were born in the United States (79.5%), girls (57.5%), with a mean age of 11.9 years, from La Joya (56.2%), with reported home pesticide use (91.8%). Overall, we observed a mean of 4.0 ± 1.8 (SD) CAs per 1,000 cells in the children. Interestingly, our data indicate that children residing in La Joya (agricultural area) had statistically higher levels of CAs (4.4 ± 2.2) compared with children residing in Baytown (urban area: 3.3 ± 1.0; P =0.042), even after adjusting for age, gender, country of birth and home pesticide use (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Preliminary data from our study suggest that MSF children residing in an agricultural region may be at a higher risk for genetic instability than MSF children residing in urban areas. Due to the small sample, we cannot generalize our findings to the general population of MSF children of Mexican origin residing in Texas. Larger studies among similar populations are needed to corroborate our findings (Supported by NCMHD P60MD000503).

Inferring Past Pesticide Exposures: A Matrix of Individual Active Ingredients in Home and Garden Pesticides Used in Past Decades

BackgroundIn retrospective studies of the health effects of home and garden pesticides, self-reported information typically forms the basis for exposure assessment. Study participants generally find it easier to remember the types of pests treated than the specific pesticides used. However, if the goal of the study is to assess disease risk from specific chemicals, the investigator must be able to link the pest type treated with specific chemicals or products.ObjectivesOur goal was to develop a “pesticide–exposure matrix” that would list active ingredients on the market for treating different types of pests in past years, and provide an estimate of the probability that each active ingredient was used.MethodsWe used several different methods for deriving the active ingredient lists and estimating the probabilities. These methods are described in this article, along with a sample calculation and data sources for each.ResultsThe pesticide–exposure matrix lists active ingredients and their probabilities of use for 96 distinct scenarios defined by year (1976, 1980, 1990, 2000), applicator type (consumer, professional), and pest type (12 categories). Calculations and data sources for all 96 scenarios are provided online.ConclusionsAlthough we are confident that the active ingredient lists are reasonably accurate for most scenarios, we acknowledge possible sources of error in the probability estimates. Despite these limitations, the pesticide–exposure matrix should provide valuable information to researchers interested in the chronic health effects of residential pesticide exposure.

Longitudinal Analysis of Factors Predicting Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure to Children Living in an Agricultural Area at Ages 6, 12, and 24 Months

SM3-O-04 Introduction: Farmworker children are vulnerable to higher pesticide exposures because they live and play in nearby agricultural fields, are exposed to pesticide residues on their parents’ work clothes, and may ingest pesticides in the breast milk of a farmworker mother. We investigated pesticide exposures to children living in an agricultural area with intensive pesticide use. Methods: We measured 6 organophosphate (dialkyl phosphate; DAPs) urinary metabolites in samples from children when they were 6 (n = 407), 12 (n = 401), and 24 (n = 383) months old. DAPs were summed to obtain a measure of total exposure to approximately 80% of pesticides applied in the study area. Dimethyl (DMP, DMTP, DMDTP) and diethyl (DEP, DETP, DEDTP) metabolites were also totaled and evaluated individually. We investigated potential exposure risk factors, including age, sex, season, occupation of parents and household members (farmworker/not farmworker), wearing of work clothes into the home, distance of home to the fields, home pesticide use, and diet. Results: Levels increased with age, with total median DAP levels of 37, 54, and 76 nmol/L, respectively (P < 0.01). This increase was driven by the total dimethyl metabolites, which rose from a median of 16 nmol/L to 50 nmol/L between 6 and 24 months. Total diethyl metabolites did not significantly increase over these ages (median, 11–13 nmol/L, respectively). At 6 months of age, summer season, having farmworker household members, the wearing of agricultural work clothes into the home and consumption of canned fruits or vegetables were significantly associated with higher levels of total DAP urinary metabolites (P < 0.05). At 12 months, living less than 200 feet from an agricultural field was significantly associated with higher total DAP levels (P < 0.05). At 24 months, none of the exposure risk factors was statistically associated with total DAP metabolite levels. The findings for total DAP metabolites were driven by the dimethyl metabolites. For diethyls alone, higher levels were associated with canned fruit or vegetable consumption at 6 months and living less than 200 feet from an agricultural field at 12 months. Discussion and Conclusions: Overall, these finding suggest that diet and occupational risk factors are associated with pesticide exposures to very young children. Results for older children were not consistent, potentially due to higher variability in diets, behavior, and locations where children spent time. Findings presented will include the results of multivariate statistical models.

Evaluation of Two Dust Sampling Methods for Estimating Pesticide Exposures in a Case–Control Study of Childhood Leukemia

MAA2-PD-10 Background: Parental reports of residential pesticide use have been associated with increased risk of childhood leukemia. However, self-reports are not adequate to identify active ingredients in pesticides and may be subject to recall bias. Carpet dust is a reservoir for pesticides because they are protected from degradation by sunlight, moisture, and microorganisms. The pesticide dose that a child receives through dermal contact and ingestion is related to the amount of dust per area of carpet and the pesticide concentration in the dust. Together, these factors determine the pesticide loading (amount of pesticide per area of carpet), which is believed to be the gold standard for assessing a child's exposure. Methods: We conducted a population-based case–control study of childhood leukemia in 35 counties in Northern and Central California, where both interview data and carpet dust samples were collected to characterize home pesticide exposures. The objective of our analysis was to evaluate 2 methods of dust collection. Homes of residentially stable cases (225) and controls (255) younger than 8 years of age were eligible for collection of carpet dust using a specialized vacuum, the high volume surface sampler (HVS3). We also sampled the dust already present in the used bag of the household vacuum cleaner, a simpler sampling method. We measured 50 pesticides, including those registered for home, garden, and agricultural use in the dust samples. Although the HVS3 was specially designed to provide the capability to measure pesticide loadings, this method cannot be done when samples are collected from used vacuum cleaner bags. We compared pesticide detections and concentrations measured in used bag samples from 40 homes with pesticide detections and loadings from HVS3 samples in the same homes. Results: On the basis of HVS3 dust samples, 25 pesticides were detected in at least 5% of homes. The percent agreement for detections in dust from used bags and from the HVS3 was high (range, 75–100%). Spearman's correlations between pesticide concentrations in used bags and pesticide loadings based on HVS3 dust ranged from 0.15 for allethrin to 1.0 for MCPA, dicamba, and propargite. Correlations were greater than 0.6 for 16 (64%) of the 25 pesticides. Conclusions: Pesticide concentrations as determined from used vacuum bag samples may be a good surrogate for pesticide loadings for many, but not all, pesticides.

Effectiveness of Cleaning Practices in Removing Pesticides from Home Environments

The deposition of agricultural pesticides in the homes of agricultural workers and residents of agricultural communities is a major environmental health concern. The effectiveness of home cleaning activities in removing pesticides from home surfaces has not been tested. An intervention study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of cleaning windowsills, floors and carpets in a sample of 10 farmworker homes. Baseline measures of organophosphorus (OP) pesticide residues were obtained, a standardized cleaning intervention was applied and follow-up measures of pesticide residues were obtained within 24–48 hours after the cleaning and 12 months later. House dust was analyzed for six OP pesticides. All homes had detectable baseline levels of OP pesticides on floors and windowsills. Cleaning of linoleum floors was ineffective in removing total pesticide residues and cleaning effectiveness varied among the pesticides. The cleaning of total OP pesticides on the windowsills was effective (median decrease was 0.0029 μg/cm2, 1-sided p-value = 0.01). Steam cleaning carpets essentially reduced the amounts to non-detectable levels. In 12 months the levels in carpets had accumulated to one-third of the baseline levels. These results provide evidence that cleaning practices can reduce the amount of pesticides in agricultural homes; however the type of surface being cleaned and the pesticides present in the home may influence results.