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Kumar D, Sinha SN. Chronic exposures to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides adversely affects the health of agricultural workers in India. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118961. [PMID: 38642639 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Biomonitoring of pesticide exposure has become a public concern because of its potential health effects. The present study investigated the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory levels and their associated health effects in agricultural areas in Telangana, India. This cross-sectional included 341 exposed participants and 152 control participants from agricultural areas. A structured questionnaire was completed and blood and urine samples were collected to measure pesticides, dialkyle phosphate (DAP) metabolites, and AChE activity using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. twenty-eight pesticides were detected in blood samples at concentrations ranging 0.42-45.77 ng/mL. Six DAP metabolites were also measured in urine, and all DAP metabolites were significantly higher in the exposed group. AChE activity is significantly reduced in individuals exposed for >10 years, raising concerns regarding possible neurological disorders. These results emphasise the urgent need to investigate the health effects of pesticides exposure, especially in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dileshwar Kumar
- Division of Food Safety, Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai-Osmania, Hyderabad, 500007, India; Department of Biochemistry Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
| | - Sukesh Narayan Sinha
- Division of Food Safety, Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai-Osmania, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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Chaudhary V, Kumar M, Chauhan C, Sirohi U, Srivastav AL, Rani L. Strategies for mitigation of pesticides from the environment through alternative approaches: A review of recent developments and future prospects. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 354:120326. [PMID: 38387349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Chemical-based peticides are having negative impacts on both the healths of human beings and plants as well. The World Health Organisation (WHO), reported that each year, >25 million individuals in poor nations are having acute pesticide poisoning cases along with 20,000 fatal injuries at global level. Normally, only ∼0.1% of the pesticide reaches to the intended targets, and rest amount is expected to come into the food chain/environment for a longer period of time. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the amounts of pesticides present in the soil. Physical or chemical treatments are either expensive or incapable to do so. Hence, pesticide detoxification can be achieved through bioremediation/biotechnologies, including nano-based methodologies, integrated approaches etc. These are relatively affordable, efficient and environmentally sound methods. Therefore, alternate strategies like as advanced biotechnological tools like as CRISPR Cas system, RNAi and genetic engineering for development of insects and pest resistant plants which are directly involved in the development of disease- and pest-resistant plants and indirectly reduce the use of pesticides. Omics tools and multi omics approaches like metagenomics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for the efficient functional gene mining and their validation for bioremediation of pesticides also discussed from the literatures. Overall, the review focuses on the most recent advancements in bioremediation methods to lessen the effects of pesticides along with the role of microorganisms in pesticides elimination. Further, pesticide detection is also a big challenge which can be done by using HPLC, GC, SERS, and LSPR ELISA etc. which have also been described in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veena Chaudhary
- Department of Chemistry, Meerut College, Meerut, Uttar-Pradesh, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Floriculture and Landscaping Architecture, College of Horticulture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Chetan Chauhan
- Department of Floriculture and Landscaping Architecture, College of Horticulture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ujjwal Sirohi
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Arun Lal Srivastav
- Chitkara University School of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Himachal Pradesh, India.
| | - Lata Rani
- Chitkara School of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Mueller W, Jones K, Fuhrimann S, Ahmad ZNBS, Sams C, Harding AH, Povey A, Atuhaire A, Basinas I, van Tongeren M, Kromhout H, Galea KS. Factors influencing occupational exposure to pyrethroids and glyphosate: An analysis of urinary biomarkers in Malaysia, Uganda and the United Kingdom. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 242:117651. [PMID: 37996007 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term exposure to pesticides is often assessed using semi-quantitative models. To improve these models, a better understanding of how occupational factors determine exposure (e.g., as estimated by biomonitoring) would be valuable. METHODS Urine samples were collected from pesticide applicators in Malaysia, Uganda, and the UK during mixing/application days (and also during non-application days in Uganda). Samples were collected pre- and post-activity on the same day and analysed for biomarkers of active ingredients (AIs), including synthetic pyrethroids (via the metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid [3-PBA]) and glyphosate, as well as creatinine. We performed multilevel Tobit regression models for each study to assess the relationship between exposure modifying factors (e.g., mixing/application of AI, duration of activity, personal protective equipment [PPE]) and urinary biomarkers of exposure. RESULTS From the Malaysia, Uganda, and UK studies, 81, 84, and 106 study participants provided 162, 384 and 212 urine samples, respectively. Pyrethroid use on the sampling day was most common in Malaysia (n = 38; 47%), and glyphosate use was most prevalent in the UK (n = 93; 88%). Median pre- and post-activity 3-PBA concentrations were similar, with higher median concentrations post-compared to pre-activity for glyphosate samples in the UK (1.7 to 0.5 μg/L) and Uganda (7.6 to 0.8 μg/L) (glyphosate was not used in the Malaysia study). There was evidence from individual studies that higher urinary biomarker concentrations were associated with mixing/application of the AI on the day of urine sampling, longer duration of mixing/application, lower PPE protection, and less education/literacy, but no factor was consistently associated with exposure across biomarkers in the three studies. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a need for AI-specific interpretation of exposure modifying factors as the relevance of exposure routes, levels of detection, and farming systems/practices may be very context and AI-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Mueller
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Kate Jones
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Buxton, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Zulkhairul Naim Bin Sidek Ahmad
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Department Medical Education and Department Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Craig Sams
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Buxton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrew Povey
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ioannis Basinas
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Karen S Galea
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Tsakiris P, Damalas CA, Koutroubas SD. Safety behavior in pesticide use among farmers of northern Greece: the role of information sources. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4335-4342. [PMID: 37380619 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Farmers' compliance with common safety practices in pesticide use (i.e., keeping records of pesticide applications, reading the information of pesticide labels, and taking protective measures during pesticide handling) and the use of information sources about pesticides were studied in a simple random sample of farmers in Evros Province, northern Greece. RESULTS According to the three common safety practices considered in the study, most farmers (56.9%) complied with safety practices. Nevertheless, a noticeable proportion of the farmers never kept records of pesticide applications (33.9%), never read the information of pesticide labels (20.2%), and never took protective measures during pesticide handling (24.8%). Farmers reported using up to six different sources of information about pesticides, but the majority (51.4%) reported using up to one source and almost one-third (33.9%) relied on own sources. The most common information source about pesticides was the staff of the agricultural supply stores, used by 88.1% of the farmers. Safety behavior was positively correlated with total sources of information (P < 0.01) and information by the agricultural supply stores (P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that safety behavior was reduced in females, whereas it was increased in farmers with high education, high number of plots, and high level of information sources. CONCLUSION Despite good levels of safety behavior by most farmers, keeping records of sprayings should be improved. Using multiple information sources about pesticides is crucial to improve safety behavior of farmers. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Tsakiris
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece
| | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece
| | - Spyridon D Koutroubas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece
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Chen Y, Liu X, Yan D, Xu J, Luan S, Xiao C, Huang Q. Exposure to emamectin benzoate confers cytotoxic effects on human molt-4 T-cells and possible ameliorative role of vitamin E and dithiothreitol. Drug Chem Toxicol 2023; 46:413-422. [PMID: 35266429 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2022.2044350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is an avermectin insecticide that is extensively used for pest control, but there are few reports concerning its cytotoxic effects on human lymphocytes. In the current study, the hematotoxicity of EMB was evaluated in Molt-4 T-cells, a human T-lymphoblastic cell line with high motility, and the role of vitamin E (VitE) and dithiothreitol (DTT) in attenuating EMB cytotoxicity was characterized. Exposure of Molt-4 cells to EMB decreased cell viability and proliferation, induced a loss of cell clusters, and significantly increased membrane collapse and chromatin condensation. Moreover, EMB significantly increased cell death and suppressed transglutaminase activity. EMB treatment modulated the NF-κB signaling pathway, decreased the expression of p105, p50, and p65/RelA in cytosolic and nuclear fractions, and increased nuclear IκBα expression. EMB increased oxidative stress, as demonstrated by a significant increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Treatment with non-cytotoxic concentrations of VitE or DTT ameliorated the hematotoxicity induced by pretreatment with EMB, increased Molt-4 cell viability, raised the IC50 values of EMB, limited intracellular ROS generation, and mitigated EMB-mediated effects on NF-κB signaling. The results indicate the potential cytotoxicity of EMB on human lymphocytes, and demonstrate that VitE and DTT treatment can reduce the cytotoxic effects of EMB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Chen
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefeng Liu
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongmei Yan
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jialin Xu
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaorong Luan
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ciying Xiao
- School of Biochemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingchun Huang
- Shanghai Key Lab of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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Dabholkar S, Pirani S, Davis M, Khan M, Eddleston M. Suicides by pesticide ingestion in Pakistan and the impact of pesticide regulation. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:676. [PMID: 37041526 PMCID: PMC10088141 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15505-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Suicide is a major public health problem in Pakistan, accounting to approximately 19,331 deaths every year. Many are due to consumption of acutely toxic pesticides; however, there is a lack of national suicide data, limiting knowledge and potential for intervention. In this paper, we aimed to review the literature on pesticide self-poisoning in Pakistan to identify the most problematic pesticides in relation to national pesticide regulations. METHODS Information on the currently registered and banned pesticides was obtained from Ministry of National Food Security and Research while data on pesticide import and use was extracted from FAOSTAT. We searched the following sources for articles and research papers on poisoning in Pakistan: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Google Scholar, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Excerpta Medica (EMBASE), National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE (PUBMED), PS102YCHINFO and Pakmedinet.com using the search terms 'self-poisoning', 'deliberate self-harm', 'suicide', 'methods and means of suicide', 'organophosphate', 'wheat pill', 'aluminium phosphide', 'acute poisoning', OR 'pesticides', AND 'Pakistan'. RESULTS As of May 2021, 382 pesticide active ingredients (substances) were registered in Pakistan, of which five were WHO hazard class Ia (extremely hazardous) and 17 WHO hazard class Ib (highly hazardous). Twenty-six pesticides, four formulations, and seven non-registered pesticides had been banned, of which two were WHO class Ia and five Ib. We identified 106 hospital-level studies of poisoning conducted in Pakistan, of which 23 did not mention self-poisoning cases and one reported no suicidal poisoning cases. We found no community or forensic medicine studies. Of 52,323 poisoning cases identified in these papers, 24,546 [47%] were due to pesticides. The most commonly identified pesticide classes were organophosphorus (OP) insecticides (13,816 cases, 56%) and the fumigant aluminium phosphide (3 g 56% tablets, often termed 'wheat pills'; 686 cases, 2.7%). Few studies identified the particular pesticides involved or the resulting case fatality. CONCLUSION We found pesticide poisoning to be a major cause of poisoning in Pakistan, with OP insecticides and the fumigant aluminium phosphide the main pesticides identified. Withdrawal of Class I pesticides (as proposed to occur nationally in 2022) and high concentration aluminium phosphide tablets should rapidly reduce suicidal deaths by reducing the case fatality for low-intention poisoning cases. National cause of death data and forensic toxicology laboratory data identifying the pesticides responsible for deaths will be important to assess impacts of the proposed national ban.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Dabholkar
- Centre For Pesticide Suicide Prevention, University of Edinburgh, QMRI E3.22a, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Shahina Pirani
- Department of Psychiatry, & Brain & Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mark Davis
- Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Murad Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, & Brain & Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Michael Eddleston
- Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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Health Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Drinking Water of Upper Jhelum Region in Kashmir Valley-India by GC-MS/MS. Int J Anal Chem 2023; 2023:6802782. [PMID: 36741419 PMCID: PMC9897932 DOI: 10.1155/2023/6802782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally growing demand for agricultural and farm foods has more or less become dependent on chemical pesticides to maintain the supply chain, which undoubtedly boosts agricultural production. However, pesticides not only impact the target pests but cause hazard to human health. Pesticides are ubiquitous and can be found in almost every component of the environment. They can therefore impair human and biota health when present over the threshold level. The present study assessed the concentration of commonly used pesticides for agricultural purposes but get mixed in different sources of water, as such fifteen sampling sites along the upper Jhelum basin of Kashmir valley were chosen. For the analysis, 60 water samples were obtained from different water sources. Gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to determine pesticide residues in water samples. Pesticide residues from 10 of the 26 commonly used pesticides were detected in water samples. Difenoconazole had the highest concentration among the pesticides detected, with a mean concentration of 0.412 ± 0.424 μg/L ranging from 0.0 μg/L to 0.8196 μg/L. The target hazards quotient (THQ) was used to quantify the possible noncarcinogenic health risks associated with drinking pesticide-contaminated water. Only chlorpyrifos and quinalphos were detected >1 in RWS3 (1.6571), RWS4 (1.0285), RWS14 (1.2571), and RWS15 (1.2000) sample sites, implying that the drinking water poses a health risk to humans. Hence, pesticide hazards should be mitigated and rigorous monitoring is needed to reduce pesticide residues in drinking water.
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Cevik C, Ozdemir R, Ari S. How to reduce pesticide exposure in farmers: An intervention study. Work 2023:WOR211380. [PMID: 36683475 DOI: 10.3233/wor-211380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pesticide poisoning is a serious public health problem. OBJECTIVE The aim was to investigate the effect of safe pesticide application training given to farmers on their behaviors towards compliance with protective measures. METHODS In this interventional study, the target population was 9750 farmers living in Turkey. To achieve a study power of 95% , type I error and the effect size were assumed as 5% and 0.50 respectively. In the study, 61 farmers were selected using the systematic sampling method. Farmers were interviewed twice, before and after the training, and at each interview, they were asked questions about their pesticide use-related behaviors in the last four sprayings. In the analysis, the paired t test, repeated measures of ANOVA (post hoc: Bonferroni) were used. RESULTS The scores the participants obtained from the Pesticide Exposure Prevention Behavior Form which questions their compliance with protective measures taken during pesticide applications at the post-interview were significantly higher than were the scores they obtained at the pre-interview (P < 0.001). The analysis of the independent variables demonstrated that the scores obtained from the Pesticide Exposure Prevention Behavior Form at the post-interview were significantly different from those obtained at the pre-interview in almost all of the subgroups in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSION It was observed that the training given to the farmers on the safe use of pesticides encouraged the farmers to develop positive behavioral changes. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing ongoing health education programs for farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celalettin Cevik
- Department of Public Health Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Raziye Ozdemir
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karabuk University, Karabuk, Turkey
| | - Sezgin Ari
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey
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Haider FU, Wang X, Zulfiqar U, Farooq M, Hussain S, Mehmood T, Naveed M, Li Y, Liqun C, Saeed Q, Ahmad I, Mustafa A. Biochar application for remediation of organic toxic pollutants in contaminated soils; An update. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 248:114322. [PMID: 36455351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Bioremediation of organic contaminants has become a major environmental concern in the last few years, due to its bio-resistance and potential to accumulate in the environment. The use of diverse technologies, involving chemical and physical principles, and passive uptake utilizing sorption using ecofriendly substrates have drawn a lot of interest. Biochar has got attention mainly due to its simplicity of manufacturing, treatment, and disposal, as it is a less expensive and more efficient material, and has a lot of potential for the remediation of organic contaminants. This review highlighted the adverse impact of persistent organic pollutants on the environment and soil biota. The utilization of biochar to remediate soil and contaminated compounds i.e., pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, antibiotics, and organic dyes has also been discussed. The soil application of biochar has a significant impact on the biodegradation, leaching, and sorption/desorption of organic contaminants. The sorption/desorption of organic contaminants is influenced by chemical composition and structure, porosity, surface area, pH, and elemental ratios, and surface functional groups of biochar. All the above biochar characteristics depend on the type of feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. However, the concentration and nature of organic pollutants significantly alters the sorption capability of biochar. Therefore, the physicochemical properties of biochar and soils/wastewater, and the nature of organic contaminants, should be evaluated before biochar application to soil and wastewater. Future initiatives, however, are needed to develop biochars with better adsorption capacity, and long-term sustainability for use in the xenobiotic/organic contaminant remediation strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fasih Ullah Haider
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Xiukang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Yan'an University, Yan'an 716000, China.
| | - Usman Zulfiqar
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farooq
- Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud 123, Oman
| | - Saddam Hussain
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Mehmood
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Muhammad Naveed
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Yuelin Li
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
| | - Cai Liqun
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Qudsia Saeed
- Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Adnan Mustafa
- Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Environmental Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia; Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czechia; Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
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Tudi M, Li H, Li H, Wang L, Lyu J, Yang L, Tong S, Yu QJ, Ruan HD, Atabila A, Phung DT, Sadler R, Connell D. Exposure Routes and Health Risks Associated with Pesticide Application. TOXICS 2022; 10:335. [PMID: 35736943 PMCID: PMC9231402 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10060335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides play an important role in agricultural development. However, pesticide application can result in both acute and chronic human toxicities, and the adverse effects of pesticides on the environment and human health remain a serious problem. There is therefore a need to discuss the application methods for pesticides, the routes of pesticide exposure, and the health risks posed by pesticide application. The health problems related to pesticide application and exposure in developing countries are of particular concern. The purpose of this paper is to provide scientific information for policymakers in order to allow the development of proper pesticide application technics and methods to minimize pesticide exposure and the adverse health effects on both applicators and communities. Studies indicate that there are four main pesticide application methods, including hydraulic spraying, backpack spraying, basal trunk spraying, and aerial spraying. Pesticide application methods are mainly selected by considering the habits of target pests, the characteristics of target sites, and the properties of pesticides. Humans are directly exposed to pesticides in occupational, agricultural, and household activities and are indirectly exposed to pesticides via environmental media, including air, water, soil, and food. Human exposure to pesticides occurs mainly through dermal, oral, and respiratory routes. People who are directly and/or indirectly exposed to pesticides may contract acute toxicity effects and chronic diseases. Although no segment of the general population is completely protected against exposure to pesticides and their potentially serious health effects, a disproportionate burden is shouldered by people in developing countries. Both deterministic and probabilistic human health risk assessments have their advantages and disadvantages and both types of methods should be comprehensively implemented in research on exposure and human health risk assessment. Equipment for appropriate pesticide application is important for application efficiency to minimize the loss of spray solution as well as reduce pesticide residuals in the environment and adverse human health effects due to over-spraying and residues. Policymakers should implement various useful measures, such as integrated pest management (IPM) laws that prohibit the use of pesticides with high risks and the development of a national implementation plan (NIP) to reduce the adverse effects of pesticides on the environment and on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyesaier Tudi
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (D.T.P.); (R.S.)
| | - Hairong Li
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Hongying Li
- Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100035, China;
| | - Li Wang
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Jia Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Road, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Linsheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Shuangmei Tong
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 11 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; (M.T.); (L.W.); (J.L.); (L.Y.); (S.T.)
| | - Qiming Jimmy Yu
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia;
| | - Huada Daniel Ruan
- Environmental Science Program, Division of Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, 2000 Jintong Road, Tangjiawan, Zhuhai 519087, China;
| | - Albert Atabila
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG13, Ghana;
| | - Dung Tri Phung
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (D.T.P.); (R.S.)
| | - Ross Sadler
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (D.T.P.); (R.S.)
| | - Des Connell
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia;
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11
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Exposure to Airborne Pesticides and Its Residue in Blood Serum of Paddy Farmers in Malaysia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116806. [PMID: 35682390 PMCID: PMC9180057 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background: Pesticides manage pests and diseases in agriculture, but they harm the health of agricultural workers. Concentrations of thirteen pesticides were determined in personal air and blood serum of 85 paddy farmers and 85 non-farmers, thereafter associated with health symptoms. Method: Samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: The median concentration of pesticides in personal air samples ranged from 10.69 to 188.49 ng/m3 for farmers and from 5.79 to 73.66 ng/m3 for non-farmers. The median concentration of pesticides in blood serum was from 58.27 to 210.12 ng/mL for farmers and 47.83 to 62.74 ng/mL for non-farmers. Concentration of eleven pesticides in personal air and twelve pesticides in blood serum were significantly higher in farmers than non-farmers (p < 0.05). All pesticides detected in personal air correlated significantly with concentration in the blood serum of farmers (p < 0.05). Health symptoms reported by farmers were dizziness (49.4%), nausea (47.1%), cough (35.3%), chest pain (30.6%), breathing difficulty (23.5%), sore throat (22.4%), vomiting (18.8%), phlegm (16.5%), and wheezing (15.3%). Concentration of pesticides in personal air, blood serum, and health symptoms were not significantly associated. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to pesticides significantly contaminates blood serum of farmers compared to non-farmers.
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12
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Rashid S, Rashid W, Tulcan RXS, Huang H. Use, exposure, and environmental impacts of pesticides in Pakistan: a critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:43675-43689. [PMID: 35435556 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20164-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The excessive use of pesticides is posing major threats to humans and the environment. However, the environmental exposure and impact of pesticides in Pakistan have yet been systematically reviewed, despite the country's leading role in pesticide use. Therefore, this study identified and then reviewed 85 peer-reviewed scientific publications on the topic. It was found that, compared to the worldwide average, Pakistan had high consumptions of pesticides, with an alarming increase of 1169% in the last two decades. The quantities of pesticides used followed an order of pyrethroids > organophosphates > organochlorines > carbamates, but organochlorines were the most problematic due to their environmental occurrence, the ability to transport across the media, and identified human and ecological toxicities. Additionally, the misuse or overuse of pesticides by farmers is prevailing due to insufficient knowledge about the risks, which leads to high risks in occupational exposure. These issues are further aggravated by the illegal use or continuous impacts of banned organochlorine pesticides. For the future, we suggested the establishment of organized monitoring, assessment, and reporting program based on environmental laws to minimize contamination and exposure to pesticides in Pakistan. Remediation of the contaminated areas to mitigate the adverse environmental-cum-health impacts are recommended in the most affected regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajid Rashid
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wajid Rashid
- Department of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, University of Swat, 19130, Swat, Pakistan
| | - Roberto Xavier Supe Tulcan
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Haiou Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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13
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Attitudinal behaviour of agriculturalists towards pesticide use in Pir Panjal Range of Kashmir Himalayas. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2022; 95:1859-1870. [PMID: 35624173 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-022-01881-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attainment of safety during pesticide spraying relies on the farmer's knowledge of pesticide use, attitude and sense of safety. However, such investigations are insufficient in the current study area. METHODS The study is based on a primary survey of 384 orchardists about the myriad of aspects affecting the use of pesticides and their subsequent effects. RESULTS The study revealed that knowledge, attitude, and perception had a weighted average index (WAI) and a standard deviation (SD) of 2.85 ± 1.17, 3.55 ± 1.34, and 3.81 ± 0.98 correspondingly. The findings reflect the farmers have a low to moderate level of knowledge, a moderate attitude toward pesticides, and a favourable perception on their utilization. Thus, for farmer personal protective equipment (PPE) use, it scored 2.77 ± 0.90 on the WAI scale, indicating that most farmers use PPEs 'rarely to occasionally' and that none use full protective gear. Furthermore, attitude and PPE usage exhibited a negative relationship with age, as younger people use PPE more than older ones. The findings were consistent for both farming experience and PPE usage. Moreover, there exists a positive association between age with perception and farming experience, knowledge with perception and PPE use, and attitude with perception. CONCLUSIONS The coefficient of determination (R2) shows that 67.2% of the variability in farmers' PPE use was attributed to factors including knowledge, attitude, perception, and education. A favorable behavioral shift in pesticide usage may be achieved by enhancing farmers' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, and adequate PPE usage.
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14
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Liu J, Xu X, Wu A, Wang Z, Song S, Kuang H, Liu L, Xu C. Preparing monoclonal antibodies and developing immunochromatographic assay strips for the determination of propamocarb levels. Food Chem 2022; 370:131284. [PMID: 34788953 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Propamocarb is a carbamate fungicide used to control Phytophthora disease. Frequent and large-scale use of propamocarb means that it poses a potential threat to the health of consumers. Monoclonal antibodies against propamocarb were prepared using a hapten of propamocarb that was generated by introducing a benzene ring and a carboxyl group into the structure of propamocarb. A lateral flow immunoassay strip was developed for the detection of propamocarb in tomato and cucumber samples using the gold nanoparticle-labeled antibody. The immunoassay strip was found to provide a visible limit of detection was 5 ng/g and the cut-off value was 250 ng/g for propamocarb in food samples. For quantitative analysis, the calculated limits of detection (LODs) of the immunoassay strip were 1.43 ng/g and 0.44 ng/g in cucumber and tomato, respectively. Using the immunoassay strip, the average recoveries ranged from 95.5 ± 5.4% to 108.8 ± 6.8%, with CVs of 3.1-6.2% for the cucumber, and the average recoveries were 95.1 ± 6.5%-111.9 ± 4.2%, with CVs ranging from 3.7% to 6.8% for tomato samples. All the results demonstrated that the immunoassay strip was suitable for the detection of propamocarb in fruits and vegetables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinxin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Aihong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengyou Wang
- Standards & Quality Center of National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, Xicheng District, 100037 Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chuanlai Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China; International Joint Research Laboratory for Biointerface and Biodetection, and School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Istriningsih, Dewi YA, Yulianti A, Hanifah VW, Jamal E, Dadang, Sarwani M, Mardiharini M, Anugrah IS, Darwis V, Suib E, Herteddy D, Sutriadi MT, Kurnia A, Harsanti ES. Farmers' knowledge and practice regarding good agricultural practices (GAP) on safe pesticide usage in Indonesia. Heliyon 2022; 8:e08708. [PMID: 35036601 PMCID: PMC8753126 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic pesticides are widely applied for pest and disease control in Indonesia. However, a lack of knowledge and use of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for safe pesticide usage among Indonesian farmers remains a problem. This study aims to investigate the gap between farmers' knowledge of GAP for safe pesticide usage and their application of it. This research was conducted in 2020 in five Indonesian provinces. Primary data collection was by means of a survey, in which 298 respondents answered structured questionnaires. The survey also identified the sources of the information recorded and the respondents’ experience of pesticide exposure. The analysis tools used were the Wilcoxon Signed Ranked Test and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). There were significant differences in the results of the first analysis. These results appear to confirm the results of further analysis using IPA, which show that a high level of knowledge does not mean that farmers will apply this knowledge in practice: this is particularly relevant to wearing gloves and masks, using tools to remove blockages, never clearing blocked nozzles by blowing into them, and disposing of empty containers properly. Nevertheless, in some cases high levels of knowledge do result in high levels of application. Cases of pesticide exposure affecting human health by causing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and vomiting confirm that GAP for pesticide usage are not being implemented properly by some farmers. It is therefore recommended that their knowledge should be enhanced through the series of technical training programs using participatory approaches, so that farmers accumulate knowledge which will drive them to adopt GAP for safe pesticide usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Istriningsih
- Indonesian Institute for Agricultural Technology Transfer, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Yovita Anggita Dewi
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Astrina Yulianti
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Vyta W Hanifah
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Erizal Jamal
- Center for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Dadang
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Indonesia
| | - Muhrizal Sarwani
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Maesti Mardiharini
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Technology Assessment and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Iwan Setiajie Anugrah
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Socio Economic and Policy Studies, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Valeriana Darwis
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Socio Economic and Policy Studies, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Ewin Suib
- Center for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Dwi Herteddy
- Center for Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Mas Teddy Sutriadi
- Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
| | - Asep Kurnia
- Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia
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16
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FAZAL A, ISMAIL A, NAEEM I, OLIVEIRA CAF, SHAUKAT S, SALEEM MU, SAIMA S, NASIR U, ALAM A, ASLAM Z, ASLAM R. Exposure assessment of selected pesticide residues using occurrence data in foods and serum samples in Pakistan. FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/fst.01222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sohail SHAUKAT
- Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, Pakistan
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17
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Ahmad S, Chaudhary HJ, Damalas CA. Microbial detoxification of dimethoate through mediated hydrolysis by Brucella sp. PS4: molecular profiling and plant growth-promoting traits. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:2420-2431. [PMID: 34374007 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15806-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
High toxicity of dimethoate requires efficient ways for detoxification and removal of its residues in contaminated environments. Microbial remediation is a process that utilizes the degradation potential of microbes to provide a cost-effective and reliable approach for pesticide abatement. For this purpose, a dimethoate-degrading bacterium Brucella sp. was isolated from a contaminated agricultural soil sample in Multan, Pakistan. This isolate was found to tolerate up to 100 ppm of dimethoate in minimal salt medium and was further evaluated for plant growth-promoting traits. The strain gave positive results for amylase, ammonia, and catalase production, while other traits such as indole acetic acid production and potassium solubilization were also confirmed. Thus, the strain could play an important role for plant nutrient transmission in the plant rhizosphere. Optimization of growth parameters (i.e., pH and temperature) depicted the potential of PS4 to be best tolerating dimethoate, with maximum cell density at λ 600 nm. Optimum pH and temperature for growth were found to be 6 and 35 °C, respectively. Based on optimization results as well as different attributes, the rhizospheric bacterial isolate PS4 was further subjected to a batch degradation experiment under different concentrations of dimethoate (25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm). This promising dimethoate-degrading isolate was found to degrade 83% of dimethoate (at 100 ppm) within a period of 7 days. In addition, it degraded 88% of dimethoate at 50 ppm, indicating that the bacterial isolate utilized dimethoate solely as a source of energy. The strain followed the first order reaction kinetics, depicting its dependence on dimethoate as energy and carbon source. Molecular profiling further supported its role in plant growth promotion and multi-stress tolerance. This research showed that Brucella sp. is capable of degrading dimethoate, and therefore, it would be useful in the investigation of novel bioremediation techniques at pesticide-polluted sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saliha Ahmad
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Hassan Javed Chaudhary
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
| | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece
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18
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Bondori A, Bagheri A, Sookhtanlou M, Damalas CA. Modeling farmers' intention for safe pesticide use: the role of risk perception and use of information sources. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:66677-66686. [PMID: 34235696 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15266-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Intention for safe pesticide use plays a crucial role in the mode of pesticide spraying, but several factors are involved in the formation of intention by farmers. This work focused on the levels of farmers' perception of pesticide risks (i.e., toxicity levels, health, and environmental effects) and utilization of information sources and examined their impact on intention for safe pesticide use in rural Iran. Most farmers (53%) showed low levels of risk perception by pesticide use and reported poor use of the available information sources about pesticides. Pesticide retailers were mentioned as the primary information point of farmers. In addition, almost half of the farmers (49.2%) expressed worryingly negative intention for safe pesticide use. Perception of pesticide risks and utilization of information sources were significantly correlated with age and spraying experience (P < 0.01), while intention for safe pesticide use was significantly correlated with farming experience (P < 0.05) and spraying experience (P < 0.05). Analysis with structural equation modeling showed that perception of pesticide risks and use of information sources together explained 80% of the variability in farmers' intention. Moreover, perception of pesticide risks (P < 0.01) and employment of information sources (P < 0.05) had a positive relationship with intention for safe handling of pesticides, thus showing a predictive link with intention. Therefore, promoting farmers' perception of pesticide risks and providing credible information sources are essential for improving intention for safe pesticide use among farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abolmohammad Bondori
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Asghar Bagheri
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
| | - Mojtaba Sookhtanlou
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece.
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19
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Abdollahdokht D, Asadikaram G, Abolhassani M, Pourghadamyari H, Abbasi-Jorjandi M, Faramarz S, Nematollahi MH. Pesticide exposure and related health problems among farmworkers' children: a case-control study in southeast Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:57216-57231. [PMID: 34086178 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14319-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are potentially hazardous chemicals that can cause injury to human health and the environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) exposure in farmworkers' children aged 6 to 11 years in Jiroft city in southeastern Iran. One hundred twenty farmworkers' children as case and 53 non-farmworkers' children aged 6 to 11 years as control were selected and the serum levels of OCPs were measured by using gas chromatography in all participants. In addition, erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) were measured to evaluate OPPs effects. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase3 (SOD3), glutathione peroxidase (GPx3) activities, and the levels of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitric oxide (NO), and protein carbonyl (PC) were measured to investigate OCPs and OPPs effects on oxidative stress (OS). The serum levels of beta-HCH, 4,4 DDE, and 4,4 DDT in the case group were significantly higher than the control group. In addition, in the case group, AChE, PON-1, CAT, SOD3, and GPx3 activities and the levels TAC were significantly lower, while MDA, PC, and NO levels were significantly higher than the control group. OCPs as illegal pesticides are present in southeast Iran and children are exposed to OCPs and OPPs in the studied area. In addition, higher serum levels of pesticides may be a major contributor in OS development, as a cause of many diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danial Abdollahdokht
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Asadikaram
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Moslem Abolhassani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Hossein Pourghadamyari
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Abbasi-Jorjandi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Sanaz Faramarz
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hadi Nematollahi
- Herbal and Traditional Medicines Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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20
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Taha MAI, Badawy MEI, Abdel-Razik RK, Younis HM, Abo-El-Saad MM. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in liver of male albino rats after exposing to sub-chronic intoxication of chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and imidacloprid. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 178:104938. [PMID: 34446205 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2021.104938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The adverse effects of chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and imidacloprid on mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress biomarkers were studied in rat liver. The liver deficiency was also confirmed by histological analysis and gel electrophoresis. Each insecticide was administered orally with five doses per week for 28 days to male albino rats at 1/50 of the LD50 per insecticide. The results demonstrated that the mitochondrial dysfunction was confirmed by a significant decrease in NADH dehydrogenase and ATPase activities. Oxidative stress biomarkers include malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyl content (PCC) were significantly increased. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) as antioxidant enzymes were significantly decreased in the mitochondria of the rat liver. HPLC analysis showed a significant increase of the 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-2DG) as a biomarker of the DNA damage in rat liver. In addition, the residue levels of 0.96 and 0.29 μg/mL serum were found for cypermethrin and imidacloprid, respectively. However, chlorpyrifos not detected using the HPLC analysis. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) analysis showed a change in the pattern and sequence of complexions of the electron transport chain in liver mitochondria with treatment by such insecticides. The hepatic histological examination also showed symptoms of abnormalities after exposure to these insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa A I Taha
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Membrane Toxicology, Faculty of Agriculture, 21545-El-Shatby, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mohamed E I Badawy
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Pesticide Residues Analysis, Faculty of Agriculture, 21545-El-Shatby, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Reda K Abdel-Razik
- Mammalian Toxicology Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 21616-El-Sabahia, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hassan M Younis
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Membrane Toxicology, Faculty of Agriculture, 21545-El-Shatby, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud M Abo-El-Saad
- Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Membrane Toxicology, Faculty of Agriculture, 21545-El-Shatby, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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21
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Mehmood Y, Arshad M, Mahmood N, Kächele H, Kong R. Occupational hazards, health costs, and pesticide handling practices among vegetable growers in Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111340. [PMID: 34043972 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Disregarding protective measures when handling pesticides in agricultural production imposes increased health risks and health costs on farmers as well as degrades the natural ecosystem. In Pakistan, where agriculture is the prime occupation in rural communities, there is overwhelming evidence of indiscriminate use of hazardous pesticides by farmers without taking adequate precautions. Using cross-sectional data, we examined personal protection and health costs to vegetable growers due to pesticide exposure and determinants of farmers' pesticide handling practices. The theory of averting behavior was used, and the possible factors affecting farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers were estimated using a logit model. Health effects (P < 0.05) and farmers' protection and health costs (P < 0.01) are found as important determinants of farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers. The mean protection and health cost of pesticide exposure per farmer per vegetable season in 2019 was US $3.60. Analytical outcomes indicate that safe and recommended pesticide handling practices are needed to be introduced through adequate integrated pest management (IPM) training programs and by improving farmers' formal education. Thus, creating awareness through IPM training programs among vegetable growers and enhancing formal education to encourage the adoption of precautionary measures and safe disposal methods for pesticide containers may reduce health risks and health costs. Findings imply that adoption of adequate pesticide handling practices would further help reduce occupational hazards and promote sustainable agriculture in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Mehmood
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Arshad
- Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan; Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Nasir Mahmood
- Department of Economics & Agricultural Economics, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Harald Kächele
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany; Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Schicklerstraße 5, 16225, Eberswalde, Germany
| | - Rong Kong
- College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Safdar M, Afzal KI, Smith Z, Ali F, Zarif P, Baig ZF. Suicide by poisoning in Pakistan: review of regional trends, toxicity and management of commonly used agents in the past three decades. BJPsych Open 2021; 7:e114. [PMID: 34134811 PMCID: PMC8240123 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2021.923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide is one of the leading mental health crises and takes one life every 40 seconds. Four out of every five suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Despite religion being a protective factor against suicide, the estimated number of suicides is rapidly increasing in Pakistan. AIMS Our review focuses on the trends of suicide and means of self-poisoning in the past three decades, and the management of commonly used poisons. METHOD We searched two electronic databases (PubMed and PakMediNet) for published English-language studies describing agents used for suicide in different regions of Pakistan. A total of 46 out of 85 papers (N = 54 747 cases) met our inclusion criteria. RESULTS Suicidal behaviour was more common among individuals younger than 30 years. Females comprised 60% of those who attempted suicide in our study sample, although the ratio of completed suicides favoured males. There were regional trends in the choice of agent for overdose. Organophosphate poisoning was reported across the nation, with a predominance of cases from the agricultural belt of South Punjab and interior Sindh. Aluminium phosphide ('wheat pills') was a preferred agent in North Punjab, whereas paraphenylenediamine ('kala pathar') was implicated in deaths by suicide from South Punjab. Urban areas had other means for suicide, including household chemicals, benzodiazepines, kerosene oil and rat poison. CONCLUSIONS Urgent steps are needed, including psychoeducational campaigns on mental health and suicide, staff training, medical resources for prompt treatment of self-poisoning and updated governmental policy to regulate pesticide sales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Safdar
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Imran Afzal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zoe Smith
- Department of Psychology, Loyola University, Illinois, USA
| | - Filza Ali
- Department of Forensic Medicine, CMH Multan Institute of Medical Sciences, Pakistan
| | - Pervaiz Zarif
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Farooq Baig
- Department of Medicine, CMH Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry, Pakistan
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Lovison Sasso E, Cattaneo R, Rosso Storck T, Spanamberg Mayer M, Sant'Anna V, Clasen B. Occupational exposure of rural workers to pesticides in a vegetable-producing region in Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:25758-25769. [PMID: 33469792 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12444-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The health of family farmers is at risk due to occupational exposure to pesticides. The aims of the current study were to investigate the level of farmers' perception of risks associated with pesticide use and to assess their health condition based on biochemical and immunological tests. Family farmers living in a vegetable-producing region in Southern Brazil were selected to participate in the study. More than 70% of the family farmers were often exposed to more than one type of pesticides; 41.2% were intensively using several pesticides for more than one decade and 74.4% were not using personal protective equipment (PPE) at the time of pesticide handling due to low perception of the risks posed by these chemicals. Enzymatic analysis performed in participants' blood samples showed changes in catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity, in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and carbonylated protein levels, as well as in chemoattractant (IL-8) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) interleukin expression. Low perception of health-related risks posed by pesticides can be attributed to factors such as low schooling and lack of information, which put farmers' health at risk, as evidenced by blood biochemical and immunological changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloisa Lovison Sasso
- Postgraduate Program in Environment and Sustainability (PPGAS), Environmental Toxicology Research Group, State University of Rio Grande do Sul, São Francisco de Paula, RS, Brazil
| | - Roberta Cattaneo
- Laboratory of Oxidative Stress and Medicinal Plants, Postgraduate Program in Integral Health Care (PPGAIS), University of Cruz Alta, Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil
| | - Tamiris Rosso Storck
- Environmental Toxicology Research Group, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering (PPGEAmb), Technology Center, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, n. 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana Spanamberg Mayer
- Laboratory of Oxidative Stress and Medicinal Plants, Postgraduate Program in Integral Health Care (PPGAIS), University of Cruz Alta, Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil
| | - Voltaire Sant'Anna
- Postgraduate Program in Environment and Sustainability (PPGAS), Environmental Toxicology Research Group, State University of Rio Grande do Sul, São Francisco de Paula, RS, Brazil
| | - Barbara Clasen
- Postgraduate Program in Environment and Sustainability (PPGAS), Environmental Toxicology Research Group, State University of Rio Grande do Sul, São Francisco de Paula, RS, Brazil.
- Environmental Toxicology Research Group, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering (PPGEAmb), Technology Center, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, n. 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
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Behnami F, Yousefinejad S, Jafari S, Neghab M, Soleimani E. Assessment of respiratory exposure to cypermethrin among farmers and farm workers of Shiraz, Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:187. [PMID: 33713184 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-08964-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cypermethrin, a member of the synthetic pyrethroids group, is a popular insecticide used to eliminate a broad range of common bugs in agricultural lands and households. However, studies of farmers' exposure to this insecticide are limited. The present study aimed to measure the respiratory exposure to cypermethrin among farmers and farm workers of Shiraz, as one of the biggest cities in Fars province, Iran. Totally, nine target regions were selected, where 42 individual samples were taken using XAD-2 sorbents and were analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). This is the first study on farmers' exposure to insecticides during spraying in Iran. The average concentration of cypermethrin vapor in farmers' respiratory area during spraying was 0.982 ± 0.421 mg/m3, which was lower than the permitted threshold value for cypermethrin recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The mean time-weighted average (TWA) was also evaluated in two distinct occupational groups (tree operators and field operators). The exposure was significantly higher in tree operators than in field operators. A direct correlation was also found between the height of the workers and the amount of cypermethrin (Spearman's r = 0.555). Findings support that farm workers' respiratory exposure to cypermethrin was within the permissible range, but this situation cannot guarantee workers' safety. Total respiratory exposure and skin exposure studies are recommended in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Behnami
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Saeed Yousefinejad
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Saeed Jafari
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoud Neghab
- Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Soleimani
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Liu J, Song S, Wu A, Kuang H, Liu L, Xiao J, Xu C. Development of immunochromatographic strips for the detection of dicofol. Analyst 2021; 146:2240-2247. [PMID: 33596275 DOI: 10.1039/d0an02238a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against dicofol was developed to prepare immunochromatographic strips (ICAs) for the detection of dicofol residues in fruit and vegetables. The mAb exhibited high affinity and high sensitivity, with an affinity constant of 2.96 × 1010 and a limit of detection of 3.142 ng mL-1. A cross reactivity test revealed that the mAb also had good specificity for dicofol. This ICA method gave a visible limit of detection of 50 ng g-1, and a cut-off value of 500 ng g-1 for the detection of dicofol in both apple and cucumber with the naked eye. Importantly, the results here are consistent with results obtained using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and ic-ELISAs indicating that this ICA method is reliable and practical when used for the detection of dicofol in fruit and vegetables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China.
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Yasin MA, Bakhsh K, Ali R, Hussain HI. Impact of better cotton initiative on health cost and pesticide exposure of women cotton pickers in Punjab, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:2074-2081. [PMID: 32865685 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10582-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cotton picking is an exclusive work that is performed only by women in Pakistan. They are directly exposed to pesticide as cotton picking is usually done without protective measures which cause destructive effects on their health. Better cotton standard system involves trainings of cotton pickers to use precautionary measures and avoid pesticide exposure. The current study has been conducted to explore the health cost of women cotton pickers in conventional versus better cotton in Punjab, Pakistan. Primary data were collected from 600 cotton pickers through an organized questionnaire from three districts (Layyah, Toba Tek Singh, and Bahawalnagar). Ordinary least square method was used to find the pesticide exposure and socioeconomic factors affecting the health cost of women cotton pickers. The study shows that total cost per person, cost of medication, productivity loss, cost of accompanied person, and dietary expenses in better cotton are significantly less than those in the conventional cotton. Cost of precautionary measures in better cotton is significantly higher than conventional cotton as better cotton pickers are trained to use precautionary measures. Moreover, education, distance from hospital, and precautionary measures affect health cost significantly. Results suggest that education should be improved in rural areas. Better cotton standard system should be promoted in Pakistan through education and other training programs. Women cotton pickers should be encouraged to use protective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asim Yasin
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Multan Road, Vehari, Pakistan.
| | - Khuda Bakhsh
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Multan Road, Vehari, Pakistan
| | - Rafaqet Ali
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Multan Road, Vehari, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Irshad Hussain
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Multan Road, Vehari, Pakistan
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Forté CA, Colacino J, Polemi K, Guytingco A, Peraino NJ, Jindaphong S, Kaviya T, Westrick J, Neitzel R, Nambunmee K. Pesticide exposure and adverse health effects associated with farmwork in Northern Thailand. J Occup Health 2021; 63:e12222. [PMID: 33973692 PMCID: PMC8112117 DOI: 10.1002/1348-9585.12222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess pesticide exposure and understand the resultant health effects of agricultural workers in Northern Thailand. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study. We quantified exposure to pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, methomyl, and metalaxyl, by air sampling and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. We estimated differences in self-reported health outcomes, complete blood counts, cholinesterase activity, and serum/urine calcium and creatinine concentrations at baseline between farmworkers and comparison workers, and after pesticide spraying in farmworkers only. RESULTS This study included 97 men between the ages of 22 and 76 years; 70 were conventional farmworkers; and 27 did not report any prior farmwork or pesticide spraying. None of the farmworkers wore standardized personal protective equipment (PPE) for the concentrated chemicals they were working with. Methomyl (8.4-13 481.9 ng/m3 ), ethyl chlorpyrifos (11.6-67 759 ng/m3 ), and metalaxyl (13.9-41 191.3 ng/m3 ) were detected via personal air sampling. When it came to reporting confidence in the ability to handle personal problems, only 43% of farmworkers reported feeling confident, which reflects higher stress levels in comparison to 78% of comparison workers (P = .028). Farmworkers also had significantly lower monocyte counts (P = .01), serum calcium (P = .01), red blood count (P = .01), white blood cell count (P = .04), and butyrylcholinesterase activity (P < .0001), relative to comparison workers. After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), age, and smoking, methomyl air concentrations were associated with a decrease in farmworker acetylcholinesterase activity (beta = -0.327, P = .016). CONCLUSIONS This population of farmworkers had significant alterations in stress measures and clinical biomarkers, including decreased blood cell counts and cholinesterase activity, relative to matched controls. These changes are potentially linked to occupational pesticide exposures. Improving PPE use presents a likely route for preventive intervention in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanese A. Forté
- School of Public HealthEnvironmental Health SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- College of EngineeringScientific ComputingUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Justin Colacino
- School of Public HealthEnvironmental Health SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- College of EngineeringScientific ComputingUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- School of Public Health, Nutritional SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- School of MedicineCenter for Computational Medicine and BioinformaticsUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Katelyn Polemi
- School of Public HealthEnvironmental Health SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Andrea Guytingco
- School of Public HealthEnvironmental Health SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Nicholas J. Peraino
- School of MedicineCenter for Computational Medicine and BioinformaticsUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- Department of ChemistryWayne State UniversityDetroitMIUSA
| | | | - Tharinya Kaviya
- School of Health ScienceMae Fah Luang UniversityChiang RaiThailand
| | - Judy Westrick
- School of MedicineCenter for Computational Medicine and BioinformaticsUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- Department of ChemistryWayne State UniversityDetroitMIUSA
| | - Richard Neitzel
- School of Public HealthEnvironmental Health SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Kowit Nambunmee
- School of Health ScienceMae Fah Luang UniversityChiang RaiThailand
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Jamil S, Shahzad R, Rahman SU, Iqbal MZ, Yaseen M, Ahmad S, Fatima R. The level of Cry1Ac endotoxin and its efficacy against H. armigera in Bt cotton at large scale in Pakistan. GM CROPS & FOOD 2020; 12:1-17. [PMID: 32762312 PMCID: PMC7553749 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2020.1799644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A biophysical survey was conducted in 15 cotton-growing districts of Pakistan. Four hundred cotton growers were approached and inquired about the production technology of Bt cotton. Further, 25 strip tests using combo strips (Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, Vip3Aa and Cp4, EPSPS gene) were performed at each farmer’s field. Out of 10,000 total-tested samples, farmers claimed 9682 samples as Bt and 318 samples as non-Bt. After performing a strip test, 1009 and 87 samples were found false negative and false positive, respectively. Only 53 samples were found positive for Cry2Ab, 214 for EPSPS and none for Vip3Aa gene. Quantification of Cry endotoxin and bioassay studies were performed by taking leaves from upper, middle, and lower canopies, and fruiting parts at approximately 80 days after sowing from 89 varieties. Expression was highly variable among different canopies and fruiting parts. Moreover, Cry endotoxin expression and insect mortality varied significantly among varieties from 0.26 µg g−1 to 3.54 µg g−1 with mortality ranging from 28 to 97%, respectively. Highest Cry1Ac expression (3.54 µg g−1) and insect mortality (97%) were observed for variety FH-142 from DG Khan. Cry endotoxin expression varied significantly across various plant parts, i.e., IUB-13 variety from upper canopy documented 0.34 µg g−1 expression with 37% insect mortality in Layyah to 3.42 µg g−1 expression and 96% insect mortality from DG Khan. Lethal dose, LD95 (2.20 µg g−1) of Cry1Ac endotoxin was optimized for effective control of H. armigera. Our results provided evidence of practical resistance in H. armigera and way forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakra Jamil
- Genetically Modified Organism Testing Lab, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Rahil Shahzad
- Genetically Modified Organism Testing Lab, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Ur Rahman
- Genetically Modified Organism Testing Lab, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zaffar Iqbal
- Genetically Modified Organism Testing Lab, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yaseen
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad , Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Shakeel Ahmad
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute , Hangzhou, China
| | - Rida Fatima
- Genetically Modified Organism Testing Lab, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute , Faisalabad, Pakistan
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29
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Assessing and Prioritizing the Climate Change Policy Objectives for Sustainable Development in Pakistan. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12081203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The world is facing the observable and direct impacts of climate change in the shape of extreme weather events, irregular precipitation, glacial melt, sea-level rise, an asymmetric average temperature trends, higher oceanic temperatures, damage to natural ecosystems, and biodiversity. In 2015, collective wisdom stirred the global community to agree upon two unprecedented milestones in recent human history—the Paris agreement and sustainable development goals (SDGs). The twin global agreements set a platform for collective efforts to secure socio-economic and climatic sustainability. Pakistan also joined the board to put forth policy interventions for the mitigation and adaption of climate change risks to maintain symmetry between the environmental quality and economic development. The government of Pakistan (GOP) formulated the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP (2012)) and passed the Pakistan Climate Change Act (PCCA (2017)) to provide an impetus for the implementation of the NCCP. Yet, an appropriate assessment and prioritization of the objectives of the NCCP are indispensable for productive and effective policies to achieve the targets. This study serves this purpose by prioritizing the climate change policy objectives (CCPOs) based on symmetric principles, i.e., energy, transport, urban and town planning, industry, and agriculture as criteria, with 17 sub-criteria in total. The fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) results show that the energy sector is the most pivotal while implementing the NCCP. Energy production is the most critical area that needs mitigation policy intervention for shifting the energy mix of the economy from high-carbon to low-carbon energy. The fuzzy AHP analysis further revealed the railway, population and urbanization, air pollution, crop growing practices and techniques as the most important related to transport, urban planning, industry, and agriculture sub-criteria, respectively. The fuzzy VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) analysis showed the ranking of the CCPOs from high to low through the integration of policies, institutional capacity building, water security, natural resource management, natural disaster management, environmental financial structure development, and social sector development. The findings of the present research would be helpful for experts and policymakers to re-examine the NCCP and put forth action plans to achieve sustainable climate and SDGs.
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Khalid S, Shahid M, Murtaza B, Bibi I, Asif Naeem M, Niazi NK. A critical review of different factors governing the fate of pesticides in soil under biochar application. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 711:134645. [PMID: 31822404 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are extensively used in the modern agricultural system. The inefficient and extensive use of pesticides during the last 5 to 6 decades inadvertently led to serious deterioration of environmental quality with health risk to living organisms, including humans. It is important to use some environmentally-friendly and sustainable approaches to remediate, restore and maintain soil quality. Biochar has gained considerable attention globally as a promising soil amendment because it has the ability to adsorb and as such minimize the bioavailability of pesticides in soils. This review emphasizes the recent trends and implications of biochar in pesticide-contaminated soils, as well as highlights need of the pesticides use and associated environmental issues in context of the biochar application. The overarching aim of this review is to signify the role of biochar on primary processes such as effect of biochar on the persistence, mineralization, leaching and efficacy of pesticides in soil. Notably, the effects of biochar on pesticide adsorption-desorption, degradation and bioavailability under various operating/production conditions are critically discussed. This review delineates the indirect impact of biochar on pesticides persistence in soils and proposes key recommendations for future research which are essential for the remediation and restoration of pesticides-impacted soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Khalid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shahid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Behzad Murtaza
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan
| | - Irshad Bibi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Asif Naeem
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan
| | - Nabeel Khan Niazi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland, Australia.
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Bagheri A, Bondori A, Allahyari MS, Damalas CA. Modeling farmers' intention to use pesticides: An expanded version of the theory of planned behavior. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 248:109291. [PMID: 31352279 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have been carried out on pesticide handling practices in agriculture, but drivers of farmers' intentions to use pesticides are not well documented. The main purpose of this study was to explore farmers' intention to use pesticides in agriculture, based on an expanded version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), with knowledge about pesticides and moral norms as additional constructs in the original TPB model. A sample of 400 cereal farmers of irrigated farmlands of Moghan plain, Iran was selected using multistage cluster sampling. Knowledge about pesticides hazards was the most important variable affecting farmers' intention to use pesticides. Knowledge mainly impacted perceived behavioral control of pesticide use and attitude towards pesticides. Thus, high levels of knowledge about pesticides were linked with greater influence of attitudes towards pesticides on farmers' intention. In turn, perceived behavioral control of pesticide use was affected by moral norms, subjective norms, and attitudes towards pesticide use. Moral norms and subjective norms also affected attitudes towards pesticides. Findings offer new evidence on the interrelationship of several variables in forming farmers' intention to use pesticides in the context of the widely used model of the TPB, for which no data are available in the literature. Promoting knowledge about pesticides is a fundamental step for regulating pesticide use among farmers, probably by stabilizing and rendering farmers' attitudes resistant to change. Moral norms and subjective norms can play a role mainly by affecting perceived behavioral control and attitudes towards pesticides. Combination of educational interventions for upgrading general knowledge about pesticides, with training courses, disincentives, and public awareness campaigns relating to pesticides may improve our ability to affect farmers' behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asghar Bagheri
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran.
| | - Abolmohammad Bondori
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran
| | | | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece.
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32
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Kouser S, Spielman DJ, Qaim M. Transgenic cotton and farmers' health in Pakistan. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222617. [PMID: 31577819 PMCID: PMC6774528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial research on the economic effects of transgenic insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton, there is still limited work on this technology’s impacts on human health. Due to the inbuilt insect resistance, Bt cotton requires fewer pesticide sprays than conventional cotton, which is not only advantageous from economic and environmental perspectives, but may also result in health benefits for farmers. Using socioeconomic and biophysical data from Pakistan, we provide the first evidence of a direct association between Bt gene expression in the plant and health benefits. A key feature of this study is that Bt cotton cultivation in Pakistan occurs in a poorly regulated market: farmers are often mistaken in their beliefs about whether they have planted Bt cotton or conventional cotton, which may affect their pesticide-use strategies and thus their pesticide exposure. We employ a cost-of-illness approach and variations in the measurement of Bt adoption to estimate the relationship between Bt cotton and farmers’ health. Bt adoption based on farmers’ beliefs does not reduce the pesticide-induced cost of illness. However, adoption based on measuring Bt gene expression is associated with significant health cost savings. Extrapolating the estimates for true Bt seeds to Pakistan’s entire Bt cotton area results in annual health cost savings of around US$ 7 million. These findings have important implications for the regulation of seed markets in Pakistan and beyond: improved regulations that ensure claimed crop traits are really expressed can increase the benefits for farmers and society at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahzad Kouser
- Department of Economics, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
| | - David J. Spielman
- Environment and Production Technology Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Matin Qaim
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Goettingen, Germany
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Memon QUA, Wagan SA, Chunyu D, Shuangxi X, Jingdong L, Damalas CA. Health problems from pesticide exposure and personal protective measures among women cotton workers in southern Pakistan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 685:659-666. [PMID: 31200258 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Women are the main cotton pickers in Pakistan even from their childhood, but due to unawareness of pesticide risks and poor knowledge of personal protection opportunities, they typically do not use personal protective measures. Albeit a major agricultural topic in Pakistan, relevant research is limited. The present study illustrates health problems from pesticide exposure during cotton harvest and the use of personal protective measures among 260 female cotton-picking workers from Shaheed Benazirabad District of Sindh Province in southern Pakistan. Skin injury, eye injury, headache, stomachache, and fever were the main health problems due to pesticide exposure according to workers' experience. Medical treatment costs of health problems were more than double (2.48 times higher) than preventive measures costs. More than half of the cotton workers surveyed did not use any protective measure during cotton picking, while 22.3% used a muffler/scarf/cloth for covering their face and 10.8% used gloves. Covering face with muffler/scarf/cloth was higher in young (P < 0.05), married (P < 0.05), and high experienced workers (P < 0.05), while no significant trends were found in the use of gloves. The use of protective measures was positively correlated with education and some experience in cotton picking. Binary logit regression showed that advanced age and high picking experience were positively associated with the use of personal protective measures, while illiteracy, traditional treatment, and medical treatment in case of illness were negatively associated with the use of personal protective measures. Findings shed new light on the topic of personal safety among women cotton pickers in Pakistan. Increasing formal education and implementing training programs for personal protective measures are important to reduce health risk and health cost by pesticides among women workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qurat Ul Ain Memon
- College of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Department of Agricultural Economics, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Shoaib Ahmed Wagan
- College of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Department of Agricultural Economics, Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Dong Chunyu
- College of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China; School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Shuangxi
- College of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Luan Jingdong
- College of Economics and Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece.
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Blood pharmacokinetic of 17 common pesticides in mixture following a single oral exposure in rats: implications for human biomonitoring and exposure assessment. Arch Toxicol 2019; 93:2849-2862. [DOI: 10.1007/s00204-019-02546-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Lévêque T, Dumat C, Lagier L, Schreck E, Ruales J, Capowiez Y. Influence of earthworm bioturbation on metals phytoavailability and human gastric bioaccessibility. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:20052-20063. [PMID: 30145761 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3010-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
At the global scale, urban agriculture is increasingly developing in cities due to demographic growth and sustainable food concerns. But, urban soils are frequently polluted with metals. In urban gardens, organic matter is also commonly added both to valorize organic household waste and to promote biophysicochemical fertility. As earthworms promote the decomposition and the recycling of soil organic matter, they can also influence the biogeochemical cycle of metals in urban polluted soils. In order to produce safe vegetables in urban areas, it is crucial to highlight the mechanisms involved in complex soil-earthworm-plant ecosystems. An experiment was set up to examine these relationships using lettuce cultivated in controlled conditions with RHIZOtest® devices. Thanks to the RHIZOtest® devices, metal transfer and bioaccessibility were for the first time compared for urban polluted soil without (1-urban soil polluted with Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn: essential or toxic metals currently found in environment, SNB) and with bioturbation (2-this metal-polluted soil subjected to earthworm bioturbation, SB) and earthworm casts (3-earthworm casts produced in this polluted soil and naturally enriched in organic matter and microorganisms, T). Metal concentration, phytoavailability, and human gastric bioaccessibility were determined in the different samples. Results showed that earthworm bioturbation increased the phytoavailability of all the metals. For the experimental condition SB, the phytoavailability of metals was increased up to 75% compared to SNB. In addition, surprisingly, metal phytoavailability was always superior in SB compared to earthworm casts (T). Moreover, earthworms led to an increase in Zn gastric bioaccessibility up to 10% in the soils in the same way as for phytoavailability, meaning Zn bioaccessibility in SB > T > SNB, whereas it remained unchanged in the lettuces. These data are important to promote sustainable agriculture activities in urban areas; actually, databases concerning different experimental conditions are needed to develop decision support tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Lévêque
- Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Área de Salud, Toledo N22-80, P.O. Box 17-12-569, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Camille Dumat
- Certop, CNRS UMR 5044, Université Toulouse J. Jaurès, Toulouse, France
- Toulouse INP, Toulouse, France
- Réseau-Agriville, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Eva Schreck
- GET, CNRS, IRD, Université de Toulouse, 14 Avenue E. Belin, F-31400, Toulouse, France
| | - Jenny Ruales
- Department of food Science and Biotechnology, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Yvan Capowiez
- UR 1114, EMMAH, INRA, Site Agroparc, Cedex 09, 84914, Avignon, France
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Ahmad A, Shahid M, Khalid S, Zaffar H, Naqvi T, Pervez A, Bilal M, Ali MA, Abbas G, Nasim W. Residues of endosulfan in cotton growing area of Vehari, Pakistan: an assessment of knowledge and awareness of pesticide use and health risks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:20079-20091. [PMID: 30229485 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3169-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
This study is based on self-reported information collected from selected farmers of Vehari District, Punjab, Pakistan, to determine their technical knowledge and awareness about pesticide use and associated environmental and health risks. Moreover, soil contamination by routinely used persistent organochlorine pesticide, endosulfan, was also evaluated. Survey data revealed very low literacy rate (on an average 9th grade education) and technical knowledge (almost missing) of the farmers in Vehari District. The farmers are unable to fully read and understand the instructions about the use of pesticide marked on the containers. They are not fully aware of pesticide persistence and toxicity (73%), unable to identify cotton pests and diseases (86%), and do not know which crop to grow in cotton adjacent fields (100%). Data also revealed that the farmers (100%) do not follow safety measure during pesticide application and are unaware of pesticide toxicity symptoms in human as well as the basic first-aid practices (89%).Poor literacy rate and lack of technical knowledge of farmers in Vehari regarding pesticide use and handling are posing serious environmental and health risks among the local inhabitants, particularly among farmers. Soil analysis results showed that concentration of α- and β-endosulfan ranged from 0-14 to 0-14.64 μg/mg, respectively. Principal component analysis showed that soil organic matter is the key soil parameter controlling the occurrence and fate of endosulfan under sandy loam soil conditions of Vehari District. There is a serious need of improving technical and environmental knowledge of farmer about pesticide risks on human health in the studied area, in particular, and the entire country in general. Findings are of great use for policymaking in Pakistan to minimize pesticide risks in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashfaq Ahmad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shahid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Sana Khalid
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Habiba Zaffar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Tatheer Naqvi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Arshid Pervez
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Arif Ali
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Abbas
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Wajid Nasim
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
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Karabiberoğlu ŞU, Koçak ÇC, Dursun Z. Electrochemical Determination of Dicofol at Nickel Nanowire Modified Poly(p‐aminophenol) Film Electrode. ELECTROANAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/elan.201900095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Çağrı Ceylan Koçak
- Dokuz Eylul UniversityBergama Vocational School 35700 Bergama, Izmir Turkey
| | - Zekerya Dursun
- Ege UniversityFaculty of Science, Department of Chemistry 35100 Bornova, İzmir Turkey
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Afshari M, Poorolajal J, Rezapur-Shahkolai F, Assari MJ, Karimi-Shahanjarini A. Which Factors Influence Farmers’ Use of Protective Measures During Pesticides Exposure? Workplace Health Saf 2019; 67:338-349. [DOI: 10.1177/2165079919827042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Farmers in developing countries use harmful pesticides while taking few or no protective measures. There is limited evidence on factors affecting their safety measures. The objective of this study was to identify the underlying factors influencing farmers’ protective behaviors (PBs) and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the exposure to pesticides. From April to August 2017, a descriptive study was conducted in Twiserkan County in western Iran among 474 farmers from 104 villages. A questionnaire was developed to measure demographic characteristics and factors suggested in integrated agent-centered (IAC) framework. The questionnaire was validated in terms of content validity through expert reviews and tested for reliability in a group of farmers. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews with farmers. Physiological arousal (β = .154, p < .05), intention (β = .345, p < .05), habit (β = .188, p < .05), and contextual factors (β = .101, p < .05) had a significant and positive impact on farmers engaging in pesticide PBs. Among the assessed factors, only physiological arousal (β = .122, p < .05) and habit (β = .646, p < .05) were found to have a significant and positive effect on the use of PPE, but the intention (β = –.039, p > .05) and contextual factors (β = –.009, p > .05) had no significant relation with the use of PPE. The results of this study identified determinants of farmers’ safety measures. Our results suggest that the IAC framework could serve as a guide to developing a more effective intervention for safety measures of Iranian farmers.
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Doğanlar ZB, Doğanlar O, Tozkir H, Gökalp FD, Doğan A, Yamaç F, Aşkın OO, Aktaş ÜE. Nonoccupational Exposure of Agricultural Area Residents to Pesticides: Pesticide Accumulation and Evaluation of Genotoxicity. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 75:530-544. [PMID: 30003277 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-018-0545-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Although many studies related the toxic effects of pesticides on agricultural workers, little research has been done about agricultural area residents. The purpose of this work was to monitor the presence of pesticides, as well as their genotoxic and cytotoxic potential, in humans with blood samples collected from control and intensive agricultural areas in the Thrace region. Pesticide accumulations were determined by LC-MS/MS. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were analyzed by comet assay, and the effect of pesticide accumulation on oxidative stress, DNA repair, and molecular chaperone response were analyzed by qRT-PCR assays in the human blood samples. The agricultural area residents had a significantly higher concentration of pesticides than those in the control area at all three sampling times, and the total pesticide amounts were 4.3 and 10 times significantly higher in blood sampled in the pesticide use period (August 2015 and 2016, respectively) than in the nonuse period (November 2015). The results showed that the pesticide level in blood during the use period led to oxidative stress, DNA damage (mean comet length and % tail DNA), and unfolded/misfolded protein response. Particularly, in pesticide use season, difference between these parameters was found statistically significant with comparison to control. Our results indicate that individuals residing around a monoculture rice farming area comprise an at-risk group as a result of increased genotoxicity evidenced in human blood. We suggest that biological monitoring efforts should be used to control nonoccupational exposures to pesticides and thus safeguard the health of agricultural area residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Banu Doğanlar
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey.
| | - Oğuzhan Doğanlar
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Hilmi Tozkir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Fulya Dilek Gökalp
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Ayten Doğan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Ferah Yamaç
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Orhan Onur Aşkın
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kırklareli University, Kırklareli, Turkey
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Hutter HP, Kundi M, Lemmerer K, Poteser M, Weitensfelder L, Wallner P, Moshammer H. Subjective Symptoms of Male Workers Linked to Occupational Pesticide Exposure on Coffee Plantations in the Jarabacoa Region, Dominican Republic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E2099. [PMID: 30257443 PMCID: PMC6209871 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Acute and sub-acute effects of pesticide use in coffee farmers have rarely been investigated. In the present field study, self-reported health symptoms from 38 male pesticide users were compared to those of 33 organic farmers. Results of cytological findings have been reported in an accompanying paper in this issue. The present second part of the study comprises a questionnaire based survey for various, potentially pesticide related symptoms among the coffee farmers. Symptom rates were generally higher in exposed workers, reaching significance in nine out of 19 assessed symptoms. Significantly increased symptom frequencies were related to neurotoxicity, parasympathic effects and acetylcholine esterase inhibition, with the highest differences found for excessive salivation, dizziness and stomach ache. We revealed a lack of precautionary measures in the majority of farmers. Better education, regulations, and safety equipment are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Hutter
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Michael Kundi
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Kathrin Lemmerer
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Michael Poteser
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Lisbeth Weitensfelder
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Peter Wallner
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
| | - Hanns Moshammer
- Department of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health, Medical University Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria.
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Hayat K, Afzal M, Aqueel MA, Ali S, Saeed MF, Khan QM, Ashfaq M, Damalas CA. RETRACTED:Insecticide exposure affects DNA and antioxidant enzymes activity in honey bee species Apis florea and A. dorsata: Evidence from Punjab, Pakistan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 635:1292-1301. [PMID: 29710582 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). After a thorough investigation, the Editors have concluded that the acceptance of this article was partly based upon the positive advice of two illegitimate reviewer reports. The reports were submitted from email accounts which were provided by the corresponding author Christos A. Damalas as suggested reviewers during the submission of the article. Although purportedly real reviewer accounts, the Editors have concluded that these were not of appropriate, independent reviewers. This manipulation of the peer-review process represents a clear violation of the fundamentals of peer review, our publishing policies, and publishing ethics standards. Apologies are offered to the reviewers whose identity was assumed and to the readers of the journal that this deception was not detected during the submission process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khizar Hayat
- Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, 40100 Sargodha, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Afzal
- Department of Entomology, University of Sargodha, 40100 Sargodha, Pakistan
| | | | - Sajjad Ali
- Department of Entomology, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100 Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Farhan Saeed
- College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenhe District, 110866 Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University, 61100 Vehari, Pakistan.
| | - Qaiser M Khan
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), 38040 Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece.
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42
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Lee YH, Kim HH, Lee JI, Lee JH, Kang H, Lee JY. Indoor contamination from pesticides used for outdoor insect control. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 625:994-1002. [PMID: 29996466 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The present study assessed the indoor level of pesticide residue contamination at a total of 45 dwelling facilities in 5 cities of South Korea from June to November 2014. Pesticide residue contamination was assessed by measuring the frequency and concentration of chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, and cypermethrin residues in airborne particles, indoor dust, and surface wipes. A preparatory test showed a decreasing tendency in the concentrations of pesticide residues in indoor air over time: from 0.458 to 0.073mg/m3 in dichlorvos for 4weeks and from below 0.050mg/m3 to non-detection in the other substances for 2weeks. Then, pesticide residues were detected indoors 4weeks after outdoor chemical control, implying the infiltration of pesticide particles from outdoors. Airborne particles of dichlorvos were found at a higher level (74.4% of samples at a concentration of 0.053mg/m3), whereas those of the other substances were detected at lower levels (6.1% at 0.002mg/m3 in chlorpyrifos and 9.4% at 0.022mg/m3 in cypermethrin). There was no consistent tendency in the indoor levels of pesticide residue contamination according to dwelling types or indoor height. The indoor levels of dichlorvos residue contamination were lower in industrial districts than in urban or rural districts: 63.9% and 0.013mg/m3 for airborne particles, 13.3% and 0.002μg/g for indoor dust, and 6.7% and 0.001mg/cm2 for surface wipes, respectively. There were no significant differences in the indoor levels of pesticide residue contamination between urban and rural districts. The current study found that most dwelling facilities managed their indoor levels of pesticide residue contamination below permissible exposure limit (PEL, 1.0mg/m3) or threshold limit value (TVL, 0.1mg/m3), whereas some facilities did not. So, we suggest that certain guidelines should be drawn up regarding the indoor environment management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youn-Hyung Lee
- Department of Horticultural Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Hyun Kim
- Department of Information, Communication and Technology Convergence, ICT Environment Convergence, Pyeongtaek University, Pyeongtaek 17869, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Il Lee
- Korea Testing & Research Institute, Gwacheon 13810, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Hee Lee
- Korea Testing & Research Institute, Gwacheon 13810, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Kang
- Department of East-West Medical Science, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Young Lee
- Institute of Life Science & Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea.
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Bakhsh K, Ahmad N, Tabasum S, Hassan S, Hassan I. Health hazards and adoption of personal protective equipment during cotton harvesting in Pakistan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 598:1058-1064. [PMID: 28482453 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during cotton harvesting is critical for securing better health for female cotton pickers in the developing countries where health facilities are not sufficiently available to the masses in the rural areas. Despite increasing the efforts in increasing awareness about the benefits of PPE among the farm workers, a vast majority of the farm workers including pickers don't use the PPE. The present study examines health impacts of cotton harvesting in Pakistani Punjab along with the factors affecting the use of PPE among the cotton pickers. Cross-sectional data collected from Vehari district is used. The study estimates health cost and the use of PPE among the young and elder cotton pickers. Headache, sleeplessness, cough, flue/fever, skin and eyes problems are reported by the young and elder cotton pickers. Personal protective equipment is rarely used during picking. However, the young pickers relatively adopt more PPE compared to the elder cotton pickers. Health cost of cotton picking is US$2.96 and 3.06 per season during the year for the young and elder cotton pickers, respectively. Results of logit model show that health cost, age, education below 8th grade, perception of temporary impact and health problems are important determinants of adopting PPE among the cotton pickers. The findings of the study conclude that the use of PPE can be realized through proper training and education of cotton pickers and farm workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khuda Bakhsh
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, Pakistan.
| | - Nameem Ahmad
- Public Health Engineering Department, Vehari, Pakistan
| | - Shanza Tabasum
- Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, Pakistan
| | - Sarfraz Hassan
- Institute of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ishtiaq Hassan
- Directorate of Agriculture (Farm Training and Adoptive Research), Sargodha, Government of Punjab, Pakistan
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Attaullah M, Yousuf MJ, Shaukat S, Anjum SI, Ansari MJ, Buneri ID, Tahir M, Amin M, Ahmad N, Khan SU. Serum organochlorine pesticides residues and risk of cancer: A case-control study. Saudi J Biol Sci 2017; 25:1284-1290. [PMID: 30505171 PMCID: PMC6252000 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are frequently used worldwide as insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and termiticides and have been associated with a variety of cancers in animal and human studies. In the present study, we examined residues of fourteen OCPs in the serum samples of diagnosed cancer patients and healthy residents of Karachi, Pakistan. A random collection of fasting blood samples was carried out from the donors with informed consent. Serum was separated within 2 h of blood collection and was then subjected to extraction with organic solvents followed by purification with florisil column. The final organic extract of each serum sample was processed with Gas Chromatograph coupled with Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). OCPs were detected in 97.59% of the cancer cases and 93.75% of the healthy subjects. Mean concentrations of total OCPs (ΣOCPs) was found elevated in the cancer group (0.606 mg/kg) compared with the control group (0.322 mg/kg). Endosulfan was the highest prevalent OCP with a mean concentration of 0.214 mg/kg in the cancer group and 0.166 mg/kg in the control group. The second most prevalent OCP was 4,4-DDE with a mean concentration of 0.131 mg/kg in the cancer group and 0.019 mg/kg in the control group. Highest level of ΣOCPs was detected in the breast cancer cases (20.411 mg/kg) with a mean level of (2.041 mg/kg). In light of the obtained results and available literature on the subject, it has been concluded that OCPs are positively associated with the risk of various cancers in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Attaullah
- Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Dir Upper, Pakistan
| | | | - Sohail Shaukat
- Center for Environmental Studies, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Syed Ishtiaq Anjum
- Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Javed Ansari
- Bee Research Chair, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Botany, Hindu College Moradabad, M.J.P Rohilkhand University, 244001, India
| | | | - Muhammad Tahir
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Amin
- Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Ahmad
- Center of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Shahid Ullah Khan
- College of Plant Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
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45
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Mahugija JAM, Kayombo A, Peter R. Pesticide residues in raw and processed maize grains and flour from selected areas in Dar es Salaam and Ruvuma, Tanzania. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 185:137-144. [PMID: 28688847 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the levels of pesticide residues in maize grains and flour and the effects of processing methods on their levels in maize products in samples collected in Dar es Salaam and Ruvuma regions. Analysis of cleaned-up extracts was done using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twelve pesticides were detected in maize grains and their highest concentrations were up to 676.1, 11200 and 14 μg/kg for organochlorines, organophosphorous and pyrethroid pesticides, respectively. In maize flour, eight pesticides were detected and the concentrations for organochlorines, organophosphorous and pyrethroid pesticides were up to 333.3, 2220 and 2 μg/kg, respectively. Only dieldrin was detected in cooked samples at a concentration of 2 μg/kg. The concentrations of p,p'-DDD, aldrin, dieldrin, chlorpyrifos and pirimiphos methyl in some grains and flour samples exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRLs). The findings indicate risks and concerns for public health. Processing methods were found to cause transformation and reduction of the pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Auguster Kayombo
- Chemistry Department, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35061, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Regina Peter
- Chemistry Department, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35061, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Damalas CA, Koutroubas SD. Farmers' Training on Pesticide Use Is Associated with Elevated Safety Behavior. TOXICS 2017; 5:toxics5030019. [PMID: 29051451 PMCID: PMC5634698 DOI: 10.3390/toxics5030019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Occupational exposure to pesticides in agricultural applications may cause acute and long-term health effects to farmers, and thus research on factors that reduce exposure is useful. However, studies on the relevance and effectiveness of training are limited. The association of previous training in the form of intensive seminars relating to pesticide use (e.g., use of spraying equipment, application parameters, use of personal protective equipment, risks to human health and the environment) with farmers’ knowledge and behavior in pesticide use was studied via the self-reporting method in a purposive sample of 82 trained and non-trained farmers. Most trained farmers showed higher levels of knowledge of pesticide use, higher levels of beliefs in pesticide hazard control, and higher levels of safety behavior than non-trained farmers. Knowledge of pesticide use and beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control were significantly correlated with safety behavior in both groups of farmers. Concerning farmers’ beliefs regarding pesticide hazard control, trained farmers were more likely to think that safety precautions work very well and less likely to feel they had little control over avoiding pesticide hazards. Overall, previous training was associated with increased levels of farmers’ knowledge of pesticides and beliefs about pesticide hazard control, was accompanied by elevated safety behavior in farmers, and thus was connected with lower occupational exposure to pesticides. Interventions that facilitate knowledge and compliance with safety behaviors should become a priority for decreasing exposure to pesticides among farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos A Damalas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-682 00 Orestiada, Greece.
| | - Spyridon D Koutroubas
- Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-682 00 Orestiada, Greece.
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