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Perrin L, Moisan F, Spinosi J, Chaperon L, Jezewski-Serra D, Elbaz A. Combining crop-exposure matrices and land use data to estimate indices of environmental and occupational exposure to pesticides. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:333-344. [PMID: 37316534 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00562-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure assessment represents a major challenge for studies on the relation between pesticides and health. OBJECTIVE We developed a method combining information from crop-exposure matrices (CEMs) and land use data, in order to compute indices of environmental and occupational pesticide exposure. We illustrate our approach using French data (1979-2010). METHODS We used CEMs for five crops (straw cereals, grain corn, corn fodder, potatoes, vineyards) that describe use (annual probability, frequency, intensity) of pesticide subgroups, chemical families, and active substances by region and time since 1960. We combined these data with land use data from agricultural censuses (1979, 1988, 2000, 2010) to compute indices of environmental and occupational pesticide exposure in cantons (small French administrative units). Indices of environmental exposure were calculated based on the area of each crop in the cantons, while indices of occupational exposure depended on combinations of crops in each farm from the cantons. To illustrate our approach, we selected a pesticide group (herbicides), chemical family of herbicides (phenoxyacetic acids), and active substance from the phenoxyacetic acids chemical family (2,4-D). RESULTS The estimated proportion of the area of crops with CEMs and of farms sprayed with herbicides was close to 100% between 1979-2010, but the estimated average annual number of applications increased. There were decreasing time-trends for phenoxyacetic acids and 2,4-D over the same period for all indices of exposure. There was a high use of herbicides throughout France in 2010, except in the South coast. For phenoxyacetic acids and 2,4-D, the spatial distribution was heterogeneous for all indices of exposure, with the highest values in the Centre and North regions. IMPACT STATEMENT Assessment of pesticide exposure is a key issue for epidemiological studies on their association with health outcomes. However, it presents some unique challenges, particularly for retrospective exposure and the investigation of chronic diseases. We present a method to compute indices of exposure by combining information from crop-exposure matrices for five crops and land use data. Specificities of environmental and occupational exposure are addressed using different methods. These methods are applied to pesticides used in agriculture in France for five crops (3 groups, 91 chemical families, 197 active substances) to produce indices at a small geographic scale from 1979 to 2010 for the whole metropolitan France. Besides using these indices in French epidemiological studies, our approach could be relevant for other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laëtitia Perrin
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Univ. Paris-Sud, Institut Gustave-Roussy, INSERM U1018, Team « Exposome, heredity, cancer and health », CESP, 94807, Villejuif, France.
| | - Frédéric Moisan
- Santé publique France, The French Public Health Agency, Direction santé environnement travail, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Johan Spinosi
- Santé publique France, The French Public Health Agency, Direction santé environnement travail, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Laura Chaperon
- Santé publique France, The French Public Health Agency, Direction santé environnement travail, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Delphine Jezewski-Serra
- Santé publique France, The French Public Health Agency, Direction appui, traitements et analyses de données, Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Alexis Elbaz
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Univ. Paris-Sud, Institut Gustave-Roussy, INSERM U1018, Team « Exposome, heredity, cancer and health », CESP, 94807, Villejuif, France
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Methods for the Identification of Outliers and Their Influence on Exposure Assessment in Agricultural Pesticide Applicators: A Proposed Approach and Validation Using Biological Monitoring. TOXICS 2019; 7:toxics7030037. [PMID: 31336998 PMCID: PMC6789726 DOI: 10.3390/toxics7030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The “patch” approach for skin exposure assessment can easily be combined with biological monitoring in real-life pesticide studies. Nevertheless, this approach is sensitive to outliers, with values markedly deviating from other members of the sample, which can result in a gross overestimation of exposure. This study aimed at developing methods for outlier identification and validating them while using biological monitoring. Twenty-seven workers applying mancozeb in Italian vineyards participated in this study. Their skin exposure was estimated while using the patch methodology, while ethylene-thiourea (ETU) was measured in the 24-h post-exposure urine as a biomarker of exposure. The outliers were detected using methods that were based on the multiplication of the median, the median absolute deviation, and boxplots. The detection rate varied between 2.3% and 17.3%. The estimated median skin exposure of 3.2 μg was reduced to 1.2 μg when the modified Z score was used. The highest reduction in the skin exposure was above 54 μg. The use of the modified Z score for outlier detection resulted in an increase in the correlation coefficient between the skin exposure and the urine ETU levels from 0.46 to 0.71, which suggested the validity of the approach. Future studies should standardize and improve the methods for pesticide exposure and risk assessment.
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Brouwer M, Kromhout H, Vermeulen R, Duyzer J, Kramer H, Hazeu G, de Snoo G, Huss A. Assessment of residential environmental exposure to pesticides from agricultural fields in the Netherlands. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2018; 28:173-181. [PMID: 28327632 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2017.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We developed a spatio-temporal model for the Netherlands to estimate environmental exposure to individual agricultural pesticides at the residential address for application in a national case-control study on Parkinson's disease (PD). Data on agricultural land use and pesticide use were combined to estimate environmental exposure to pesticides for the period 1961 onwards. Distance categories of 0-50 m, >50-100 m, >100-500 m and >500-1000 m around residences were considered. For illustration purposes, exposure was estimated for the control population (n=607) in the PD case-control study. In a small validation effort, model estimates were compared with pesticide measurements in air and precipitation collected at 17 stations in 2000-2001. Estimated exposure prevalence was higher for pesticides used on commonly cultivated (rotating) crops than for pesticides used on fruit and bulbs only. Prevalence increased with increasing distance considered. Moderate-to-high correlations were observed between model estimates (>100-500 m and >500-1000 m) and environmental pesticide concentrations measured in 2000-2001. Environmental exposure to individual pesticides can be estimated using relevant spatial and temporal data sets on agricultural land use and pesticide use. Our approach seems to result in accurate estimates of average environmental exposure, although it remains to be investigated to what extent this reflect personal exposure to agricultural pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje Brouwer
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Julius Centre for Public Health Sciences and Primary Care, Utrecht University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Duyzer
- Department Urban Environment, TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Kramer
- Earth Observation and Environmental Informatics, ALTERRA, Wageningen University & Research centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard Hazeu
- Spatial Knowledge Systems, ALTERRA, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert de Snoo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anke Huss
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Brouwer M, Huss A, van der Mark M, Nijssen PCG, Mulleners WM, Sas AMG, van Laar T, de Snoo GR, Kromhout H, Vermeulen RCH. Environmental exposure to pesticides and the risk of Parkinson's disease in the Netherlands. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 107:100-110. [PMID: 28704700 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to pesticides has been linked to Parkinson's disease (PD), although associations between specific pesticides and PD have not been well studied. Residents of rural areas can be exposed through environmental drift and volatilization of agricultural pesticides. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to investigate the association between lifetime environmental exposure to individual pesticides and the risk of PD, in a national case-control study. METHODS Environmental exposure to pesticides was estimated using a spatio-temporal model, based on agricultural crops around the residential address. Distance up to 100m from the residence was considered most relevant, considering pesticide drift potential of application methods used in the Netherlands. Exposure estimates were generated for 157 pesticides, used during the study period, of which four (i.e. paraquat, maneb, lindane, benomyl) were considered a priori relevant for PD. RESULTS A total of 352 PD cases and 607 hospital-based controls were included. No significant associations with PD were found for the a priori pesticides. In a hypothesis generating analysis, including 153 pesticides, increased risk of PD was found for 21 pesticides, mainly used on cereals and potatoes. Results were suggestive for an association between bulb cultivation and PD. CONCLUSIONS For paraquat, risk estimates for the highest cumulative exposure tertile were in line with previously reported elevated risks. Increased risk of PD was observed for exposure to (a cluster of) pesticides used on rotating crops. High correlations limited our ability to identify individual pesticides responsible for this association. This study provides some evidence for an association between environmental exposure to specific pesticides and the risk of PD, and generates new leads for further epidemiological and mechanistic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje Brouwer
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anke Huss
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marianne van der Mark
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter C G Nijssen
- Department of Neurology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Wim M Mulleners
- Department of Neurology, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Antonetta M G Sas
- Department of Neurology, Vlietland Hospital, Schiedam, The Netherlands
| | - Teus van Laar
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert R de Snoo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roel C H Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Julius Centre for Public Health Sciences and Primary Care, Utrecht University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Brouwer M, Schinasi L, Beane Freeman LE, Baldi I, Lebailly P, Ferro G, Nordby KC, Schüz J, Leon ME, Kromhout H. Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides in a pooled analysis of agricultural cohorts within the AGRICOH consortium: authors' response. Occup Environ Med 2017; 74:81. [PMID: 27852645 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2016-104110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maartje Brouwer
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leah Schinasi
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, USA
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, ISPED, Université Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, INSERM, Bordeaux, France
- Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pierre Lebailly
- Cancers et Préventions, INSERM, Caen, France
- Cancers et Préventions, Université Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France
- Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Gilles Ferro
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Karl-Christian Nordby
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Maria E Leon
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Brouwer M, Schinasi L, Beane Freeman LE, Baldi I, Lebailly P, Ferro G, Nordby KC, Schüz J, Leon ME, Kromhout H. Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides in a pooled analysis of agricultural cohorts within the AGRICOH consortium. Occup Environ Med 2016; 73:359-67. [PMID: 27009271 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2015-103319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper describes methods developed to assess occupational exposure to pesticide active ingredients and chemical groups, harmonised across cohort studies included in the first AGRICOH pooling project, focused on the risk of lymph-haematological malignancies. METHODS Three prospective agricultural cohort studies were included: US Agricultural Health Study (AHS), French Agriculture and Cancer Study (AGRICAN) and Cancer in the Norwegian Agricultural Population (CNAP). Self-reported pesticide use was collected in AHS. Crop-exposure matrices (CEMs) were developed for AGRICAN and CNAP. We explored the potential impact of these differences in exposure assessment by comparing a CEM approach estimating exposure in AHS with self-reported pesticide use. RESULTS In AHS, 99% of participants were considered exposed to pesticides, 68% in AGRICAN and 63% in CNAP. For all cohorts combined (n=316 270), prevalence of exposure ranged from 19% to 59% for 14 chemical groups examined, and from 13% to 46% for 33 active ingredients. Exposures were highly correlated within AGRICAN and CNAP where CEMs were applied; they were less correlated in AHS. Poor agreement was found between self-reported pesticide use and assigned exposure in AHS using a CEM approach resembling the assessment for AGRICAN (κ -0.00 to 0.33) and CNAP (κ -0.01 to 0.14). CONCLUSIONS We developed country-specific CEMs to assign occupational exposure to pesticides in cohorts lacking self-reported data on the use of specific pesticides. The different exposure assessment methods applied may overestimate or underestimate actual exposure prevalence, and additional work is needed to better estimate how far the exposure estimates deviate from reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje Brouwer
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leah Schinasi
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Isabelle Baldi
- Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, ISPED, Université Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, ISPED, INSERM, Bordeaux, France Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pierre Lebailly
- UMR1086-Cancers et Préventions, INSERM, Caen, France Cancers et Préventions, IFR146 ICORE, Université Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer François Baclesse, Caen, France
| | - Gilles Ferro
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Karl-Christian Nordby
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Maria E Leon
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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