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Cholinesterase Depression and Its Association with Pesticide Exposure across the Agricultural Season among Latino Farmworkers in North Carolina
- Source :
- Environmental Health Perspectives
- Publication Year :
- 2010
- Publisher :
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2010.
-
Abstract
- Background Farmworkers can be exposed to a wide variety of pesticides. Assessing cholinesterase activity over time can be used to monitor exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides. Objectives The goal of this study was to document patterns and variation in cholinesterase levels across the agricultural season (May–August) among field-workers, and to explore the association of cholinesterase depression with pesticide exposure across the agricultural season. Methods Dried blood samples collected from 231 migrant farmworkers sampled from camps in eastern North Carolina up to four times across a summer agricultural season were analyzed for cholinesterase activity, and urine samples were analyzed for metabolites of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides. Reductions of ≥ 15% from an individual’s highest value were identified and considered evidence of meaningful cholinesterase activity depression. Results The average cholinesterase activity levels were lowest in June, with significantly higher mean values in July and August. When adjusted for age, sex, minutes waited to shower, and days worked in the fields, the number of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides detected in urine predicted reductions in cholinesterase activity. Conclusions These data demonstrate that workers are experiencing pesticide exposure. Greater enforcement of existing safety regulations or strengthening of these regulations may be warranted. This study demonstrates that serial measurements of cholinesterase activity across an agricultural season can detect exposure to pesticides among field-workers.
- Subjects :
- Gerontology
Adult
Male
Carbamate
Adolescent
cholinesterase
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
medicine.medical_treatment
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
Environmental health
Occupational Exposure
medicine
North Carolina
Cholinesterases
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Pesticides
Depression (differential diagnoses)
pesticide
Occupational Health
Cholinesterase
Aged
2. Zero hunger
farmworker
biology
business.industry
Research
fungi
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
food and beverages
Agriculture
Hispanic or Latino
Pesticide
Middle Aged
030210 environmental & occupational health
Rural environment
Carbamate pesticides
biology.protein
Female
Seasons
business
Organophosphorus pesticides
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 15529924 and 00916765
- Volume :
- 118
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Environmental Health Perspectives
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6948f087f07869a5bd11f70181e9407b