RESEARCH PAPER
Exposure to phenoxyacetic acid herbicides and predictors of exposure among spouses of farmers.
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
 
2
Department of Chemical Safety, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2012;19(1):51-56
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to assess the environmental exposure to 2 commonly used pesticides: 2-methyl-4- chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) among spouses of farmers, not directly involved in the process of spraying. Exposure to 63 sprayings 24 women in households from the rural area of the Łódż Voivodeship in Poland was assessed. The women were asked to collect 3 biological urine samples: in the morning before spraying (sample A), in the evening after spraying (sample B), and on the morning of the next day (sample C). The determination of pesticides in urine was performed by high performance liquid chromatography, coupled with tandem mass spectrometry and negative electrospray (LC-MS/MS-ESI-). In the case of both active ingredient, the number of urine samples with the level of pesticides above limit of detection (LOD) increased from 30% in samples A to 45% in samples B and C. The average levels of herbicides increased from sample A (2.8 ng/g creatinine) to sample B (6.0 ng/g creatinine). The mean value of the C sample was 4.0 ng/g creatinine. Similar results were obtained when the average was calculated for all measurements, including those below LOD. The outdoor activity of the women during spraying was statistically significant (p=0.023), a predictor of exposure in multivariate analyses. The presented study indicates that farmers' spouses might be exposed to pesticides, even if they do not take part in the spraying.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The study was supported by the project ‘Epidemiology of Reproductive Hazards in Poland – Multicentre, Prospective Cohort Studies’, funded by the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (Grant No. PBZ-MEiN-/8/2//2006; Contract No. K140/P01/2007/2.1.2)
 
REFERENCES (23)
1.
Hanke W, Jurewicz J. The risk of adverse reproductive and developmental disorders due to occupational pesticide exposure – overview of current epidemiological evidence. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2004; 17(2): 223-243.
 
2.
Jurewicz J, Hanke W. An exposure to pesticides and neurobehavioral development in children – review of epidemiological studies. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2008; 21(2): 121-132.
 
3.
Zahm SH, Ward MH. Pesticides and childhood cancer. Environ Health Perspect. 1998; 106(Suppl 3): 893-908.
 
4.
Arbuckle TE, Lin Z, Mery LS. An exploratory analysis of the effect of pesticide exposure on the risk of spontaneous abortion in an Ontario farm population. Environ Health Perspect. 2001; 109: 851-857.
 
5.
Schreinemachers DM. Birth malformations and other adverse perinatal outcomes in four US wheat-producing states. Environ Health Perspect. 2003; 111: 1259-1264.
 
6.
Greenlee AR, Arbuckle TE, Chyou PH. Risk factors for female infertility in an agricultural region. Epidemiol. 2003; 14: 429-436.
 
7.
Garry VF, Harkins M, Lyubimov A, Erickson L, Long L. Reproductive outcomes in the women of the Red River Valley of the north. I. The spouses of pesticide applicators: pregnancy loss, age at menarche, and exposure to pesticides. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2002; 65: 769-786.
 
8.
Arbuckle TE, Burnett R, Cole D, Teschke K, Dosemeci M, Bancej C, Zhang J. Predictors of herbicide exposure in farm applicators. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2002; 75: 406-414.
 
9.
Arbuckle TE, Cole DC, Ritter L, Ripley BD. Farm children’s exposure to herbicides – comparison of biomonitoring and questionnaire data. Epidemiol. 2004; 15(2): 187-194.
 
10.
Morgan MK, Sheldon LS, Croghan CW, Jones PA, Robertson GL, Chuang JC, Wilson NK, Lyu CW. Exposures of pre-school children to chlorpyrifos and its degradation product 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol in their everyday environments. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2004; 15(4): 1-13.
 
11.
R Development Core Team R. A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing 2009; 2. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna 2009. http://www.R-project.org.
 
12.
Knopp D, Glass S. Biological monitoring of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid exposed workers in agriculture and forestry. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1991; 63: 329-333.
 
13.
Kolmodin-Hedman B, Höglund S, Akerblom M. Studies on phenoxy acid herbicides. I. Field study – Occupational exposure to phenoxy acid herbicides (MCPA, dichlorprop, mecoprop and 2,4-D) in agriculture. Arch Toxicol. 1983; 54: 257-265.
 
14.
Kolmodin-Hedman B, Höglund S, Swensson A, Akerblom M. Studies of phenoxy acid herbicides: II: Oral and dermal uptake and elimination in urine of MCPA in humans. Arch Toxicol. 1983; 54: 267-273.
 
15.
Alexander BH, Mandel JS, Baker BA, Burns CJ, Bartels MJ, Acquavella JF, Gustin C. Biomonitoring of 2,4-Dicholrophenoxyacetic acid exposure and dose in farm families. Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115(3): 370-376.
 
16.
Arbuckle TE, Ritter L. Phenoxyacetic adid herbicide exposure for women on Ontario farms. J Toxicol Environ Health. 2005; 68: 1359-1370.
 
17.
Camann D, Harding H, Clothier J, Kuchibhatla R, Bond A. Dermal and in-home exposure of the farm family to agricultural pesticides. In: Measurement of Toxic and Related Air Pollutants. Pittsburgh, PA: Air & Waste Management Association. 1995; 548-555.
 
18.
Semchuk KM, McDuffie HH, Senthilselvan A, Dosman JA, Cessna AJ, Irvine DG. Body mass index and bromoxynil exposure in a sample of rural residents during spring herbicide application. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004; 67: 1321-1352.
 
19.
Acquavella JF, Alexander BH, Mandel JS, Gustin C, Baker B, Chapman P, Bleeke M. Glyposhate biomonitoring for farmers and their families: results from the Farm Family Exposure Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2004; 112(3): 321-326.
 
20.
Knopp D. Assessment of exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the chemical industry: Results of a five-year biological monitoring study. Occup Environ Med. 1994; 51: 152-159.
 
21.
Cooper SP, Burau K, Sweeney A, Robison T, Smith MA, Symanski E, Colt JS, Laseter J, Zahm SH. Prenatal exposure to pesticides: A feasibility study among migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Am J Ind Med. 2001; 40: 578-585.
 
22.
Moody RP, Wester RC, Melendres JL, Maibach HI. Dermal absorption of the phenoxy herbicide 2,4-D dimethylamine in humans: effect of DEET and anatomic site. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1992; 36: 241-250.
 
23.
Harris SA, Solomon KR, Stephenson GR. Exposure of homeowners and bystanders to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). J Environ Sci Health B. 1992; 27: 23-38.
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top