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Fuhrimann S, Mueller W, Atuhaire A, Mubeezi R, Ohlander J, Povey A, Basinas I, van Tongeren M, Jones K, Galea KS, Kromhout H. Occupational exposure to pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes. Impact of different original and recalled exposure measures on the associations. Ann Work Expo Health 2024:wxae025. [PMID: 38832717 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxae025] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several measures of occupational exposure to pesticides have been used to study associations between exposure to pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes. This study assessed the impact of different exposure measures for glyphosate and mancozeb on the association with neurobehavioral outcomes based on original and recalled self-reported data with 246 smallholder farmers in Uganda. METHODS The association between the 6 exposure measures and 6 selected neurobehavioral test scores was investigated using linear multivariable regression models. Exposure measures included original exposure measures for the previous year in 2017: (i) application status (yes/no), (ii) number of application days, (iii) average exposure-intensity scores (EIS) of an application and (iv) number of EIS-weighted application days. Two additional measures were collected in 2019: (v) recalled application status and (vi) recalled EIS for the respective periods in 2017. RESULTS Recalled applicator status and EIS were between 1.2 and 1.4 times more frequent and higher for both pesticides than the original application status and EIS. Adverse associations between the different original measures of exposure to glyphosate and 4 neurobehavioral tests were observed. Glyphosate exposure based on recalled information and all mancozeb exposure measures were not associated with the neurobehavioral outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The relation between the different original self-reported glyphosate exposure measures and neurobehavioral test scores appeared to be robust. When based on recalled exposure measures, associations observed with the original exposure measures were no longer present. Therefore, future epidemiological studies on self-reported exposure should critically evaluate the potential bias towards the null in observed exposure-response associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - William Mueller
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Research Avenue North Riccarton, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Building, plot 37, YMCA, 41 Buganda Rd, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ruth Mubeezi
- School of Public Health, Makarere University, New Mulago Hill Road, Mulago, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Johan Ohlander
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Povey
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Crawford House, Booth St E, Manchester M13 9QS, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Basinas
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Research Avenue North Riccarton, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Crawford House, Booth St E, Manchester M13 9QS, United Kingdom
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Crawford House, Booth St E, Manchester M13 9QS, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Jones
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, United Kingdom
| | - Karen S Galea
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Research Avenue North Riccarton, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Rosa MJ, Armendáriz-Arnez C, Gudayol-Ferré E, Prehn M, Fuhrimann S, Eskenazi B, Lindh CH, Mora AM. Association of pesticide exposure with neurobehavioral outcomes among avocado farmworkers in Mexico. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2024; 256:114322. [PMID: 38219443 PMCID: PMC10956701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM To date, few studies have focused on the health effects of pesticide exposure among avocado farmworkers. We examined the association of exposure to insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides with cognitive and mental health outcomes among these avocado workers from Michoacan, Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 105 avocado farmworkers between May and August 2021. We collected data on self-reported pesticide use during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey and estimated annual exposure-intensity scores (EIS) using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We calculated specific gravity adjusted average concentrations of 12 insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide metabolites measured in urine samples collected during two study visits (8-10 weeks apart). We assessed participants' cognitive function and psychological distress using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery and the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), respectively. We examined individual associations of EIS and urinary pesticide metabolites with neurobehavioral outcomes using generalized linear regression models. We also implemented Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) regression to evaluate the association between a pesticide metabolite mixture and neurobehavioral outcomes. RESULTS In individual models, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, higher concentrations of hydroxy-tebuconazole (OH-TEB, metabolite of fungicide tebuconazole) were associated with higher anxiety (IRR per two-fold increase in concentrations = 1.26, 95% CI:1.08, 1.48) and Global Severity Index (GSI) (IRR = 1.89, 95% CI:1.36, 2.75) scores, whereas higher concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy, metabolite of chlorpyrifos) were associated with lower GSI scores (IRR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.85). In BWQS analyses, we found evidence of a mixture association of urinary pesticide metabolites with higher anxiety (IRR = 1.72, 95% CrI: 1.12, 2.55), depression (IRR = 4.60, 95% CrI: 2.19, 9.43), and GSI (IRR = 1.99, 95% CrI: 1.39, 2.79) scores. OH-TEB and hydroxy-thiabendazole (metabolite of fungicide thiabendazole) combined contributed 54%, 40%, and 54% to the mixture effect in the anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and overall psychological distress models, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We found that exposure to tebuconazole and thiabendazole, fungicides whose effects have been rarely studied in humans, may be associated with increased psychological distress among avocado farmworkers. We also observed that exposure to chlorpyrifos may be associated with decreased psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria José Rosa
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Cynthia Armendáriz-Arnez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Morelia, Mexico
| | - Esteve Gudayol-Ferré
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Mexico
| | - Manuela Prehn
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES) Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Morelia, Mexico
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Christian H Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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Hilber I, Bahena-Juárez F, Chiaia-Hernández AC, Elgueta S, Escobar-Medina A, Friedrich K, González-Curbelo MÁ, Grob Y, Martín-Fleitas M, Miglioranza KSB, Peña-Suárez B, Pérez-Consuegra N, Ramírez-Muñoz F, Sosa-Pacheco D, Bucheli TD. Pesticides in soil, groundwater and food in Latin America as part of one health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:14333-14345. [PMID: 38329663 PMCID: PMC10881636 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32036-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
We here report of a conference about "Pesticides in Soil, Groundwater and Food in Latin America as part of One Health" that took place at the "IV Seminario Internacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (SISA)" in Varadero, Cuba, 8-12 May 2023. Researchers of Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico) and Switzerland (workshop initiator) held presentations about occurrence and effects of pesticides on the environment, human health, the replacement of highly hazardous pesticides (HHP) by agroecological alternatives and the agri-food value chain. In a subsequent round table discussion, the presenters identified deficits, needs, interests and opportunities. According to them, the lack of awareness of pesticide use affects the health and safety of workers applying the chemicals. Despite Latin America representing the main agricultural area in the world with a very intense pesticide use, monitoring data of pesticides in soil, surface and groundwaters, food, as well as in humans are missing. Risks of pesticides to humans should be assessed so that authorities can withdraw or limit within "short time" the access to corresponding formulations on the market. Also, communication is not state of the art and should be improved as, e.g. the teaching of workers and farmers, how to correctly use and apply pesticides or the briefing of decision makers. Pollinators suffer from multiple stressors not the least due to pesticides, and alternatives are badly needed. On the technical side, the different analytical methods to determine residues of active ingredients and transformation products in matrices of concern should be harmonized among laboratories.Seven future actions and goals were identified to overcome the above deficits. Next steps after the publishing of this conference report are to harmonize and complete the information status of the presenters by exchanging the results/data already present. Therefore, a platform of interaction to address issues described above and to enhance collaboration shall be created. Samples of different matrices shall be exchanged to harmonize the chemical analysis and establish interlaboratory comparisons. Such activities might be facilitated by joining international associations or organizations, where researchers can offer their expertise, or by forming a new pesticide network for Central and South America that could present tailored projects to national and international organizations and funding agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Hilber
- Environmental Analytics, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Aurea C Chiaia-Hernández
- Institute of Geography and Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sebastián Elgueta
- Núcleo en Ciencias Ambientales y Alimentarias (NCAA), Universidad de Las Américas, Providencia, seat Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Karen Friedrich
- Centro de Estudios y Salud del Trabajador y Ecología Humana, Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundación Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Yael Grob
- Environmental Analytics, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Karina S B Miglioranza
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | | | - Nilda Pérez-Consuegra
- Universidad Agraria de La Habana "Fructuoso Rodríguez Pérez", San José de Las Lajas, Cuba
| | - Fernando Ramírez-Muñoz
- Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
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Arredondo MM. Shining a light on cultural neuroscience: Recommendations on the use of fNIRS to study how sociocultural contexts shape the brain. CULTURAL DIVERSITY & ETHNIC MINORITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 29:106-117. [PMID: 34291971 PMCID: PMC8782924 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a portable neuroimaging technique that may serve as a methodological tool for studying how sociocultural contexts can shape the human brain and impact cognition and behavior. The use of fNIRS in community-based research may (a) advance theoretical knowledge in psychology and neuroscience, particularly regarding underrepresented ethnic-racial communities; (b) increase diversity in samples; and (c) provide neurobiological evidence of sociocultural factors supporting human development. The review aims to introduce the use of fNIRS, including its practicalities and limitations, to new adopters inquiring how sociocultural inputs affect the brain. The review begins with an introduction to cultural neuroscience, and a review on the use of fNIRS follows. Next, benefits and guidelines to the design of fNIRS research in naturalistic environments (in the community or in the field) using a cultural lens are discussed. Strengths-based and community-based approaches in cultural neuroscience are recommended throughout. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Mora AM, Baker JM, Hyland C, Rodríguez-Zamora MG, Rojas-Valverde D, Winkler MS, Staudacher P, Palzes VA, Gutiérrez-Vargas R, Lindh C, Reiss AL, Eskenazi B, Fuhrimann S, Sagiv SK. Pesticide exposure and cortical brain activation among farmworkers in Costa Rica. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:200-210. [PMID: 36228750 PMCID: PMC10014323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies have reported associations of pesticide exposure with poor cognitive function and behavioral problems. However, these findings have relied primarily on neuropsychological assessments. Questions remain about the neurobiological effects of pesticide exposure, specifically where in the brain pesticides exert their effects and whether compensatory mechanisms in the brain may have masked pesticide-related associations in studies that relied purely on neuropsychological measures. METHODS We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in 48 farmworkers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, in 2016. We measured concentrations of 13 insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide metabolites or parent compounds in urine samples collected during two study visits (approximately 3-5 weeks apart). We assessed cortical brain activation in the prefrontal cortex during tasks of working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We estimated associations of pesticide exposure with cortical brain activation using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age and education level. RESULTS We found that higher concentrations of insecticide metabolites were associated with reduced activation in the prefrontal cortex during a working memory task. For example, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy; a metabolite of the organophosphate chlorpyrifos) was associated with reduced activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (β = -2.3; 95% CI: -3.9, -0.7 per two-fold increase in TCPy). Similarly, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA; a metabolite of pyrethroid insecticides) was associated with bilateral reduced activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (β = -3.1; 95% CI: -5.0, -1.2 and -2.3; 95% CI: -4.5, -0.2 per two-fold increase in 3-PBA for left and right cortices, respectively). These associations were similar, though weaker, for the attention and cognitive flexibility tasks. We observed null associations of fungicide and herbicide biomarker concentrations with cortical brain activation during the three tasks that were administered. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides may impact cortical brain activation in the prefrontal cortex - neural dynamics that could potentially underlie previously reported associations with cognitive and behavioral function. Furthermore, our study demonstrates the feasibility and utility of fNIRS in epidemiological field studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Joseph M Baker
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Carly Hyland
- School of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, 1910 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - María G Rodríguez-Zamora
- Escuela de Ingeniería en Seguridad Laboral e Higiene Ambiental (EISLHA), Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Calle 15, Avenida 14, 1 km Sur de la Basílica de los Ángeles, Cartago 30101, Provincia de Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Daniel Rojas-Valverde
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Escuela Ciencias del Movimiento Humano y Calidad de Vida, Campus Benjamin Nuñez, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 86-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 55, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Peterspl. 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa A Palzes
- Drug and Alcohol Research Team at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Division of Research, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Randall Gutiérrez-Vargas
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Escuela Ciencias del Movimiento Humano y Calidad de Vida, Campus Benjamin Nuñez, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 86-3000, Costa Rica
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Scheelevägen 2, 22363 Lund, Sweden
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 55, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Peterspl. 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Galli A, Winkler MS, Doanthu T, Fuhrimann S, Huynh T, Rahn E, Stamm C, Staudacher P, Van Huynh T, Loss G. Assessment of pesticide safety knowledge and practices in Vietnam: A cross-sectional study of smallholder farmers in the Mekong Delta. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2022; 19:509-523. [PMID: 35853141 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2022.2100403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Over the past three decades, the Vietnamese Mekong Delta has experienced a significant increase in agricultural productivity, partly achieved through increased agrochemical use. To abate negative effects on human and environmental health, several national programs were launched to enhance safer pesticide use. This study aimed to assess the patterns and relationships of official sustainable agriculture educational programs, pesticide safety knowledge, and practices of smallholder farmers in the Mekong Delta. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 400 smallholder farmers from three communes in Thoi Lai district (Can Tho province) from March to May 2020. Twenty-four questions on pesticide safety knowledge and practices were used to identify traits using latent class analysis. Adjusted generalized linear regression was used to assess determinants of pesticide safety knowledge and estimate associations of pesticide safety knowledge with pesticide practices. 96.2% of participants have used at least one WHO class II pesticide during the past year while the use of specific personal protective equipment was limited mainly due to unavailability (37.0%) or discomfort (83.0%). High education (Odds Ratio (OR), 95% Confidence Interval; 3.84, 1.70-9.45), exposure to official educational programs (1.87, 1.13-3.12), peer-to-peer knowledge exchange (3.58, 2.18-6.00), and learning from governmental extension services (2.31, 1.14-4.98) were positively associated with increased pesticide safety knowledge. Compared to poor practices, pesticide safety knowledge was increasingly positively associated with intermediate (1.65, 1.02-2.66) and good pesticide practices (8.96, 2.58-31.12). These findings highlight the importance of school education and educational programs, access to PPE, and addressing discomforts of PPE to improve the protection of farmers from pesticide exposures. Simultaneously, pesticide market authorization processes should be reconsidered to promote the authorization of less toxic products. Further in-depth studies on the nature of pesticides used, nonuse of personal protective equipment, and effectiveness of educational programs will further define leverage points for safer pesticide use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Galli
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thuy Doanthu
- CISDOMA, The Consultative Institute for Socio-Economic Development of Rural and Mountainous Areas, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tuyen Huynh
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Eric Rahn
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Christian Stamm
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Tung Van Huynh
- CISED, Can Tho City Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies, Can Tho, Vietnam
| | - Georg Loss
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya. J CHEM-NY 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/5102599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fingernails were also evaluated. This cross-sectional study involved 127 farmers and 25 high school teachers living in the same geographical area as the farmers (served as the control group). Fingernail samples of the participants were collected, treated, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for As, Cd, and Pb contents after microwave acid digestion. Results of this study indicated that the concentration levels of the investigated heavy metals in fingernail samples of both participating farmers and control group were in order of Pb > Cd > As. Also, the results showed that As, Cd, and Pb levels in the farmers’ fingernails were found to be higher than in the control group by about 9-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively. This difference for all heavy metals analyzed was found to be statistically significant
. As a conclusion, the results of this study clearly indicated that Libyan farmers have been exposed to high levels of toxic heavy metals as a result of their agricultural activities compared with the general population living in the same geographical area as farmers, which, in turn, pose a high risk to their health. Thus, toxicological, epidemiological, and clinical studies for the Libyan farmers are strongly recommended.
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Samareh A, Asadikaram G, MojtabaAbbasi-Jorjandi, Abdollahdokht D, Abolhassani M, Khanjani N, Nematollahi MH. Occupational exposure to pesticides in farmworkers and the oxidative markers. Toxicol Ind Health 2022; 38:455-469. [PMID: 35701988 DOI: 10.1177/07482337221106754] [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: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Organophosphate (OPPs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are the two predominant forms of pesticides extensively used all around the world and are being reconsidered as environmental pollutants. The current study sought to assess the role of socioeconomic factors on the level of pesticides residues and the oxidative effects of exposure to OPPs and OCPs among the farmworkers of southeast Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 192 farmworkers and 74 non-farmworkers (controls) were involved. Gas chromatography (GC) was performed to measure the serum levels of organochlorine chemicals (2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT, 2,4-DDE, 4,4-DDE, α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH). Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, arylesterase activity of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and several oxidative stress (OS) markers were assessed. In addition, the impact of several parameters such as home to farm distance, education level, ventilation status, and personal protective equipment (PPE) on pesticide levels was analyzed. The levels of OCPs in the farmworkers were significantly higher than the control subjects. In addition, AChE activity, arylesterase activity of PON-1, and total antioxidant capacity in farmworkers were significantly less, and MDA levels were higher than the controls. Education level was associated with farmworkers' protective behavior. The current findings suggested that some phased out OCPs can still be measured in human samples in the southeast of Iran. Furthermore, the current study demonstrated that exposure to OCPs and OPPs was accompanied by adverse consequences regarding OS parameters and subsequent health problems. In addition, the findings of the present study suggest that improving farmworkers' education might be associated with reduced exposure to pesticides and less adverse health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Samareh
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Asadikaram
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - MojtabaAbbasi-Jorjandi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Physiology Research center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Danial Abdollahdokht
- Physiology Research center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Moslem Abolhassani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Narges Khanjani
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad H Nematollahi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Physiology Research center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, 48463Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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The Integration of Local Actors in Policy Implementation: The Case of Organic Farming in Costa Rica. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14127265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Like other countries of the world, Costa Rica faced the challenge of dealing with a variety of trade-offs when implementing sustainability goals in agriculture. Very often, economic promotion is in conflict with goals regarding human and environmental health protection. Organic farming practices could provide strategies to overcome some of these trade-offs. However, in Costa Rica, the majority of farmers still relies on conventional farm practices. In this paper, I investigate the potential for a sustainable transformation in Costa Rica’s agriculture by focusing on organic farming policies. I shed light on the role local actors and organizations play in this process compared to other actor types. I argue that local actors are “the agents of change” in these processes, as these are the target groups of organic farming policies and are the ones who are asked to change their farm practices. Based on survey data and network analysis, I was able to illustrate how differently integrated local actors are compared to other actor types in Costa Rica’s implementation of organic farming policies. Local actors show interest and willingness to further participate in land-use implementation processes when institutional barriers are alleviated, and further promotion instruments are available.
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Mueller W, Atuhaire A, Mubeezi R, van den Brenk I, Kromhout H, Basinas I, Jones K, Povey A, van Tongeren M, Harding AH, Galea KS, Fuhrimann S. Evaluation of two-year recall of self-reported pesticide exposure among Ugandan smallholder farmers. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 240:113911. [PMID: 35030437 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate smallholder farmers' recall of pesticide use and exposure determinants over a two-year period in a low-income country context. METHODS The Pesticide Use in Tropical Settings (PESTROP) study in Uganda consists of 302 smallholder farmers who were interviewed in 2017. In the same season in 2019, these farmers were re-questioned concerning pesticide use (e.g., use of active ingredients) and exposure information (e.g., crops, personal protective equipment [PPE], hygienic behaviours) they had previously provided. The extent of recall bias was assessed by comparing responses at follow-up in 2019 with practices and behaviours reported from the baseline interview in 2017. RESULTS An 84% (n = 255) follow-up response rate was attained. We found instances of better recall (e.g., overall agreement >70% and Area Under the Curve (AUC) values > 0.7) for the use of some active ingredients, commonly used PPE items, and washing clothes after application, whereas only 13.3% could correctly recall their three major crops. We observed a trend where more individuals reported the use of active ingredients, while fewer reported the use of PPE items, two years later. In general, we found better agreement in the recall of years working with pesticides compared to hours per day or days per week in the field, with no apparent systematic over or under reporting by demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS While some of these findings provide consistency with those from high-income countries, more research is needed on recall in poorly educated agriculture communities in low- and middle-income settings to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Mueller
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ruth Mubeezi
- Makerere University, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Iris van den Brenk
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ioannis Basinas
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Jones
- Health and Safety Executive, 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
| | - 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
| | | | - Karen S Galea
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Fuhrimann S, van den Brenk I, Atuhaire A, Mubeezi R, Staudacher P, Huss A, Kromhout H. Recent pesticide exposure affects sleep: A cross-sectional study among smallholder farmers in Uganda. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106878. [PMID: 34592653 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poorly educated smallholder farmers in low-income countries are highly exposed to pesticides. This can result in adverse mental health issues, of which sleep problems might be an underlying indicator. We aim to examine the association between sleep problems and pesticide exposure among smallholder farmers in Uganda. METHODS A cross-sectional survey with 253 smallholder farmers was conducted between October and December 2019. Sleep problems were assessed during the week before the visit using the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS). Exposure to pesticides was assessed as application days of any pesticide and as use of 2,4-D, glyphosate, mancozeb, organophosphates & carbamates, pyrethroids and other pesticides during the week and year prior to the visit. Associations were assessed using adjusted multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS Increased odds ratio (OR) for the sleep problem index 6-items (OR [95% Confidence Interval] 1.99 [1.04; 3.84] and 3.21 [1.33; 7.82]), sleep inadequacy (1.94 [1.04; 3.66] and 2.49 [1.05-6.22]) and snoring (3.17 [1.12; 9.41] and 4.07 [1.04; 15.14]) were observed for farmers who respectively applied pesticides up to two days and three or more days in the past week compared to farmers who did not apply during the past week. Gender-stratified analyses showed a higher OR for female applicators (4.27 [1.76-11.16]) than for male applicators (1.82 [0.91-3.79]) for the association between the sleep problem index 6-items and pesticide use in the week before the visit. Increased ORs were also observed for the association between the sleep problem index 6-item and mancozeb exposure during the past year 2.28 [1.12-4.71] and past week 2.51 [0.86-7.55] and glyphosate exposure during the past week 3.75 [1.24-11.8] compared to non-applicators. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest an increased risk of sleep problems among smallholder farmers in a pesticide-exposure-dependent way in a low-income context. Further gender-stratified, longitudinal investigations are warranted to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Iris van den Brenk
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ruth Mubeezi
- Makerere University, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anke Huss
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Fuhrimann S, Wan C, Blouzard E, Veludo A, Holtman Z, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Dalvie MA, Atuhaire A, Kromhout H, Röösli M, Rother HA. Pesticide Research on Environmental and Human Exposure and Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:259. [PMID: 35010520 PMCID: PMC8750985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
On the African continent, ongoing agriculture intensification is accompanied by the increasing use of pesticides, associated with environmental and public health concerns. Using a systematic literature review, we aimed to map current geographical research hotspots and gaps around environmental and public health risks research of agriculture pesticides in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies were included that collected primary data on past and current-used agricultural pesticides and assessed their environmental occurrence, related knowledge, attitude and practice, human exposure, and environmental or public health risks between 2006 and 2021. We identified 391 articles covering 469 study sites in 37 countries in SSA. Five geographical research hotspots were identified: two in South Africa, two in East Africa, and one in West Africa. Despite its ban for agricultural use, organochlorine was the most studied pesticide group (60%; 86% of studies included DDT). Current-used pesticides in agriculture were studied in 54% of the study sites (including insecticides (92%), herbicides (44%), and fungicides (35%)). Environmental samples were collected in 67% of the studies (e.g., water, aquatic species, sediment, agricultural produce, and air). In 38% of the studies, human subjects were investigated. Only few studies had a longitudinal design or assessed pesticide's environmental risks; human biomarkers; dose-response in human subjects, including children and women; and interventions to reduce pesticide exposure. We established a research database that can help stakeholders to address research gaps, foster research collaboration between environmental and health dimensions, and work towards sustainable and safe agriculture systems in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Chenjie Wan
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Elodie Blouzard
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Adriana Veludo
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zelda Holtman
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
| | - Shala Chetty-Mhlanga
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala 12590, Uganda;
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Martin Röösli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hanna-Andrea Rother
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
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Jongman M, Carmichael P, Loeto D, Gomba A. Advances in the use of biocontrol applications in preharvest and postharvest environments: A food safety milestone. J Food Saf 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Patricia Carmichael
- Department of Agricultural Research and Specialists Services Malkerns Eswatini
| | - Daniel Loeto
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Botswana Gaborone Botswana
| | - Annancietar Gomba
- National Institute for Occupational Health National Health Laboratory Service Johannesburg South Africa
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Farnham A, Fuhrimann S, Staudacher P, Quirós-Lépiz M, Hyland C, Winkler MS, Mora AM. Long-Term Neurological and Psychological Distress Symptoms among Smallholder Farmers in Costa Rica with a History of Acute Pesticide Poisoning. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18179021. [PMID: 34501611 PMCID: PMC8431685 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Studies suggest that acute pesticide poisonings (APP) may be linked with long-term neurological effects. To examine long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms associated with having experienced an APP, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 300 conventional and organic smallholder farmers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, May–August 2016. We collected self-reported data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational history, pesticide exposure, APPs, neurological and psychological distress symptoms (using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)). Adjusted logistic regression models were fit. A total of 14% of the farmers (98% male) reported experiencing at least one APP during their lifetime. Self-reported APP was associated with neurological symptoms during the 12 months prior to interview (e.g., fainting (Odds Ratio: 7.48, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.83, 30.74), shaking hands (3.50; 1.60, 7.60), numbness/tingling in hands or feet (3.23; 1.66, 6.32), insomnia (2.53; 1.34, 4.79), accelerated heartrate (2.42; 1.03, 5.47), dizziness (2.38; 1.19, 4.72), increased irritability/anger (2.37; 1.23, 4.55), low energy (2.33; 1.23, 4.46), and difficulty concentrating (2.01; 1.05, 3.85)). Farmers who reported an APP in the ten years prior to interview experienced increased odds of abnormal BSI scores for hostility (4.51; 1.16, 17.70) and paranoid ideation (3.76; 0.99, 18.18). Having experienced an APP may be associated with long-term neurological and psychological distress symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Farnham
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; (S.F.); (M.S.W.)
- Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; (S.F.); (M.S.W.)
- Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80177, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland;
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marcela Quirós-Lépiz
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica; (M.Q.-L.); (C.H.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Carly Hyland
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica; (M.Q.-L.); (C.H.); (A.M.M.)
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720-7392, USA
| | - Mirko S. Winkler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland; (S.F.); (M.S.W.)
- Swiss TPH, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana M. Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 83-3000, Costa Rica; (M.Q.-L.); (C.H.); (A.M.M.)
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 265, Berkeley, CA 94720-7392, USA
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Fuhrimann S, Farnham A, Staudacher P, Atuhaire A, Manfioletti T, Niwagaba CB, Namirembe S, Mugweri J, Winkler MS, Portengen L, Kromhout H, Mora AM. Exposure to multiple pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes among smallholder farmers in Uganda. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 152:106477. [PMID: 33756429 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to single pesticide active ingredients or chemical groups is associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in farmers. In agriculture, exposure to multiple pesticide active ingredients is the rule, rather than exception. Therefore, occupational studies on neurobehavioral effects of pesticides should account for potential co-exposure confounding. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 288 Ugandan smallholder farmers between September and December 2017. We collected data on self-reported use of pesticide products during the 12 months prior to survey and estimated yearly exposure-intensity scores for 14 pesticide active ingredients using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We administered 11 neurobehavioral tests to assess five neurobehavioral domains. We implemented a Bayesian Model-Averaging (BMA) approach to examine the association between exposure to multiple pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes, while accounting for multiple testing. We applied two levels of inference to determine (1) which neurobehavioral outcomes were associated with overall pesticide exposure (marginal inclusion probability (MIP) for covariate-only models <0.5) and (2) which specific pesticide active ingredients were associated with these outcomes (MIP for models where active ingredient was included >0.5). RESULTS Seventy-two percent of farmers reported use of pesticide products that contained at least one of 14 active ingredients, while the applicators used in median three different active ingredients (interquartile range (IQR) 4) in the 12 months prior to the study. The most widely used active ingredients were glyphosate (79%), cypermethrin (60%), and mancozeb (55%). We found that overall pesticide exposure was associated with impaired visual memory (Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT)), language (semantic verbal fluency test), perceptual-motor function (Finger tapping test), and complex attention problems (Trail making A test and digit symbol test). However, when we looked at the associations for individual active ingredients, we only observed a positive association between glyphosate exposure and impaired visual memory (-0.103 [95% Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI)] [-0.24, 0] units in BVRT scores per interquartile range (IQR) increase in annual exposure to glyphosate, relative to a median [IQR] of 6 [3] units in BVRT across the entire study population). CONCLUSIONS We found that overall pesticide exposure was associated with several neurobehavioral outcome variables. However, when we examined individual pesticide active ingredients, we observed predominantly null associations, except for a positive association between glyphosate exposure and impaired visual memory. Additional epidemiologic studies are needed to evaluate glyphosate's neurotoxicity, while accounting for co-pollutant confounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Andrea Farnham
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics (IBP), ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Tiziana Manfioletti
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Charles B Niwagaba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sarah Namirembe
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jonathan Mugweri
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lutzen Portengen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ana M Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica; Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Paumgartten FJR. Letter to the Editor regarding "Multi-biomarker responses to pesticides in an agricultural population from Central Brazil" by. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 764:144298. [PMID: 33385657 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J R Paumgartten
- National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-361, 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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Hansen MRH, Jørs E, Sandbæk A, Sekabojja D, Ssempebwa JC, Mubeezi R, Staudacher P, Fuhrimann S, Sigsgaard T, Burdorf A, Bibby BM, Schlünssen V. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticide exposure is related to lung function change among smallholder farmers: a prospective study. Thorax 2021; 76:thoraxjnl-2020-214609. [PMID: 33479045 PMCID: PMC8311090 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-214609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIM Exposure to some insecticides may cause airway obstruction, but existing evidence is limited by cross-sectional designs and inadequate confounder control. We investigated the relation between organophosphate and carbamate insecticides and pulmonary function in a prospective study accounting for important confounders. METHODS In a cohort of 364 smallholder farmers in Uganda (69% women), participants underwent pre-bronchodilator spirometry at baseline (September/October 2018) and at two follow-up visits (November/December 2018 and January/February 2019). Exposure to carbamate and organophosphate insecticides was assessed using haemoglobin-adjusted erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE/Hb). Less than 3% of participants were lost to follow-up. We calculated Z-scores for FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC using the Global Lung Function Initiative equations. Data were analysed in linear mixed and fixed effect models accounting for family relationships and repeated measures of exposure and outcome. RESULTS Low AChE/Hb was significantly associated with low FEV1 Z-score in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Compared with individuals with AChE/Hb 25.90 U/g (50th percentile, reference), those with lower AChE/Hb 24.50 U/g (35th percentile) had mean FEV1 Z-score 0.045 (0.003 to 0.087) lower, and persons with higher AChE/Hb 27.30 U/g (65th percentile) had a mean FEV1 Z-score 0.043 (-0.002 to 0.087) higher compared with the reference. Similar, but numerically smaller and statistically non-significant effects were seen for Z-scores of FVC and FEV1/FVC. CONCLUSION Exposure to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides may lead to lung function decline. Our results add to the growing evidence of health effects in relation to exposure to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, underlining the importance of minimising exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rune Hassan Hansen
- Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erik Jørs
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Annelli Sandbæk
- General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Daniel Sekabojja
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Ruth Mubeezi
- School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assesment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Alex Burdorf
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Bo Martin Bibby
- Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Fuhrimann S, Klánová J, Přibylová P, Kohoutek J, Dalvie MA, Röösli M, Degrendele C. Qualitative assessment of 27 current-use pesticides in air at 20 sampling sites across Africa. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 258:127333. [PMID: 32947666 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Increasing use of current-use pesticides (CUPs) in Africa raises environmental and public health concerns. But there is a large uncertainty about their occurrence and the composition of pesticide mixtures on this continent. This paper investigates the presence of 27 CUPs in air across 20 sampling sites in Africa. 166 passive air samples, consisting of polyurethane foam (PUF), were collected in 12 African countries between 2010 and 2018. Samples were extracted with methanol and analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The detection frequencies of CUPs per site were compared to land use patterns and sampling years, while their similarities were assessed using hierarchical cluster analysis. Overall, 24 CUPs were detected at least once. In 93% of all samples, at least one CUP was detected, while 78% of the samples had mixtures of two or more CUPs (median 3, interquartile range 5). Atrazine and chlorpyrifos were detected in 19 out of 20 sampling sites. Carbaryl, metazachlor, simazine, tebuconazole and terbuthylazine had the highest detection frequencies at sampling sites dominated by croplands. Across all the sampling years, 16 CUPs were present. Seven CUPs were newly detected from 2016 onwards (azinfos-methyl, dimetachlor, chlorsulfuron, chlortoluron, isoproturon, prochloraz and pyrazon), while metamitron was only present before 2012. Sites within a radius of about 200 km showed similarities in detected CUP mixtures across all samples. Our results show the presence of CUP mixtures across multiple agricultural and urban locations in Africa which requires further investigation of related environmental and human health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jana Klánová
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Přibylová
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiři Kohoutek
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Martin Röösli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Céline Degrendele
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Sciences, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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20
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Hansen MRH, Jørs E, Sandbæk A, Sekabojja D, Ssempebwa JC, Mubeezi R, Staudacher P, Fuhrimann S, Burdorf A, Bibby BM, Schlünssen V. Exposure to cholinesterase inhibiting insecticides and blood glucose level in a population of Ugandan smallholder farmers. Occup Environ Med 2020; 77:713-720. [PMID: 32632029 PMCID: PMC7509396 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The risk of diabetes mellitus may be elevated among persons exposed to some pesticides, including cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides (organophosphates and carbamates). The objective of this study was to investigate how acetylcholinesterase activity was associated with mean blood glucose levels among smallholder farmers in Uganda. Methods We conducted a short-term follow-up study among 364 smallholder farmers in Uganda. Participants were examined three times from September 2018 to February 2019. At each visit, we measured glycosylated haemoglobin A (HbA1c) as a measure of long-term average blood glucose levels. Exposure to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides was quantified using erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase normalised by haemoglobin (AChE/Hb). For a subgroup of participants, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was also available. We analysed HbA1c and FPG versus AChE/Hb in linear mixed and fixed effect models adjusting for age, sex, physical activity level, and consumption of fruits and vegetables, alcohol and tobacco. Results Contrary to our hypothesis, our mixed effect models showed significant correlation between low AChE/Hb and low HbA1c. Adjusted mean HbA1c was 0.74 (95% CI 0.17 to 1.31) mmol/mol lower for subjects with AChE/Hb=24.3 U/g (35th percentile) compared with subjects with AChE/Hb=25.8 U/g (50th percentile). Similar results were demonstrated for FPG. Fixed effect models showed less clear correlations for between-phase changes in AChE/Hb and HbA1c. Conclusions Our results do not clearly support a causal link between exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides and elevated blood glucose levels (expressed as HbA1c and FPG), but results should be interpreted with caution due to the risk of reverse causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rune Hassan Hansen
- Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark .,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erik Jørs
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Annelli Sandbæk
- General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Daniel Sekabojja
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Ruth Mubeezi
- School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alex Burdorf
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bo Martin Bibby
- Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vivi Schlünssen
- Environment, Work and Health, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Xie Y, Li J, Guo X, Zhao J, Yang B, Xiao W, Yang H. Health status among greenhouse workers exposed to different levels of pesticides: A genetic matching analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8714. [PMID: 32457470 PMCID: PMC7250909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65662-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Objective: Greenhouse workers are considered a special occupational group who are exposed to more toxic and harmful substances than ordinary farmers. The health problem of this group is a public health problem that warrants attention. Taking greenhouse workers in Ningxia, China, as the research sample, this study analyzed the health risk to practitioners posed by the greenhouse working environment. (2) Method: To analyze the relationship between pesticide exposure and the health of greenhouse workers, the genetic matching method was used to exclude the influence of covariates on the results. (3) Results: The results showed a statistical significance regarding the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), skeletal muscle system diseases (SMSD) and digestive diseases between the different exposure groups. Researching the disease symptoms found that different levels of exposure to pesticides in greenhouses could cause multisystem and multisymptom discomfort. In addition to some irritant symptoms such as eye itching, itching, and sneezing, there were also differences in terms of the frequency of discomfort such as back pain, a decline in sleep quality, memory loss, joint pain, swelling and weakness, upper abdominal pain and flatulence, in the different exposure groups. (4) Conclusion: Different levels of exposure to pesticides in greenhouses may be one of the risk factors for practitioners to suffer from various systemic diseases, affecting their health and work efficiency. This hazard is manifested not only in some acute irritant symptoms but also in chronic diseases due to long-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Xie
- Department of Labor and Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Jiangping Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Department of Labor and Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Ji Zhao
- Department of Labor and Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Biao Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Wenwen Xiao
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China
| | - Huifang Yang
- Department of Labor and Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China.
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22
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Dietler D, Leuenberger A, Bempong NE, Campbell-Lendrum D, Cramer C, Eggen RIL, Erismann S, Ferazzi S, Flahault A, Fletcher HA, Fuhrer B, Fuhrimann S, Greter H, Heerdegen AC, Leach M, Leissing A, Lilje J, Penny MA, Prytherch H, Staudacher P, Vounatsou P, Weiss F, Wiedemann R, Winkler MS, Zhou XN, Utzinger J. Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: from framework to action, transforming challenges into opportunities. J Glob Health 2020; 9:020201. [PMID: 31489184 PMCID: PMC6708592 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.09.020201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Dietler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Equal contributions
| | - Andrea Leuenberger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Equal contributions
| | - Nefti-Eboni Bempong
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum
- Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Conradin Cramer
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Education, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rik I L Eggen
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,ETH Zurich, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Séverine Erismann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Antoine Flahault
- Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Bernhard Fuhrer
- Swiss Network for International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Helena Greter
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Christine Heerdegen
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melissa Leach
- Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Lilje
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,ETH Zurich, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Melissa A Penny
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helen Prytherch
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,ETH Zurich, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Penelope Vounatsou
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frederik Weiss
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,ETH Zurich, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruth Wiedemann
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Political Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jürg Utzinger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Jones K, Basinas I, Kromhout H, van Tongeren M, Harding AH, Cherrie JW, Povey A, Sidek Ahmad ZN, Fuhrimann S, Ohlander J, Vermeulen R, Galea KS. Improving Exposure Assessment Methodologies for Epidemiological Studies on Pesticides: Study Protocol. JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e16448. [PMID: 32130188 PMCID: PMC7070347 DOI: 10.2196/16448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to certain pesticides has been associated with several chronic diseases. However, to determine the role of pesticides in the causation of such diseases, an assessment of historical exposures is required. Exposure measurement data are rarely available; therefore, assessment of historical exposures is frequently based on surrogate self-reported information, which has inherent limitations. Understanding the performance of the applied surrogate measures in the exposure assessment of pesticides is therefore important to allow proper evaluation of the risks. Objective The Improving Exposure Assessment Methodologies for Epidemiological Studies on Pesticides (IMPRESS) project aims to assess the reliability and external validity of the surrogate measures used to assign exposure within individuals or groups of individuals, which are frequently based on self-reported data on exposure determinants. IMPRESS will also evaluate the size of recall bias on the misclassification of exposure to pesticides; this in turn will affect epidemiological estimates of the effect of pesticides on human health. Methods The IMPRESS project will recruit existing cohort participants from previous and ongoing research studies primarily of epidemiological origin from Malaysia, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. Consenting participants of each cohort will be reinterviewed using an amended version of the original questionnaire addressing pesticide use characteristics administered to that cohort. The format and relevant questions will be retained but some extraneous questions from the original (eg, relating to health) will be excluded for ethical and practical reasons. The reliability of pesticide exposure recall over different time periods (<2 years, 6-12 years, and >15 years) will then be evaluated. Where the original cohort study is still ongoing, participants will also be asked if they wish to take part in a new exposure biomonitoring survey, which involves them providing urine samples for pesticide metabolite analysis and completing questionnaire information regarding their work activities at the time of sampling. The participant’s level of exposure to pesticides will be determined by analyzing the collected urine samples for selected pesticide metabolites. The biomonitoring measurement results will be used to assess the performance of algorithm-based exposure assessment methods used in epidemiological studies to estimate individual exposures during application and re-entry work. Results The project was funded in September 2017. Enrollment and sample collection was completed for Malaysia in 2019 and is on-going for Uganda and the United Kingdom. Sample and data analysis will proceed in 2020 and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2021. Conclusions The study will evaluate the consistency of questionnaire data and accuracy of current algorithms in assessing pesticide exposures. It will indicate where amendments can be made to better capture exposure data for future epidemiology studies and thus improve the reliability of exposure-disease associations. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/16448
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Jones
- Health and Safety Executive, Buxton, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Basinas
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - 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
| | | | - John W Cherrie
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, 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
| | - Zulkhairul Naim Sidek Ahmad
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Johan Ohlander
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Karen S Galea
- Centre for Human Exposure Science, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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24
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Staudacher P, Fuhrimann S, Farnham A, Mora AM, Atuhaire A, Niwagaba C, Stamm C, Eggen RIL, Winkler MS. Comparative Analysis of Pesticide Use Determinants Among Smallholder Farmers From Costa Rica and Uganda. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2020; 14:1178630220972417. [PMID: 33402828 PMCID: PMC7739084 DOI: 10.1177/1178630220972417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are used globally in agriculture and pose a threat to the health of farmers, communities, and the environment. Smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries have generally a low socio-economic status and educational level. Consequently, they are particularly vulnerable to negative impacts of pesticides on their health, yields, or land. In a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices study, we compared the pest management practices between a market-oriented farming system in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, and a subsistence-based farming system in Wakiso District, Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among smallholder farmers from Costa Rica (n = 300) in 2016 and from Uganda (n = 302) in 2017. We enrolled conventional and organic farmers, but also farmers with mixed practices and non-applicators of any pest management strategy. We found that the majority of pesticides used in both case studies are classified as highly hazardous by the World Health Organization. While more than 90% of smallholder farmers from both countries were aware of the negative health effects of pesticide exposure, <11% in Costa Rica and <2% in Uganda reported using personal protective equipment every time they handled or applied pesticides. Hygiene and other safe use practices were not adopted by all farmers (<61%), especially among farmers applying more hazardous pesticides. Conventional farmers from Costa Rica (14%) and Uganda (19%) reported disposing pesticide residuals into rivers. Using a logistic regression we found that organic farmers were more likely to having been trained on safe pesticide use practices. Using a robust regression, we observed that smallholder household income was primarily driven by education and not directly by the use of synthetic pesticides. Our results suggest that negative effects of pesticides can be managed over the whole life cycle, from purchase, via storage and application to residual and waste management by fostering professionalization of farmers. We advise future safe use and handling interventions to consider the pesticide use-related socioeconomic and demographic findings highlighted in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Staudacher
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, CHN, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Philipp Staudacher, Eawag, Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland.
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Farnham
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana M Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Charles Niwagaba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Christian Stamm
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Rik IL Eggen
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, CHN, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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25
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Fuhrimann S, Staudacher P, Lindh C, van Wendel de Joode B, Mora AM, Winkler MS, Kromhout H. Variability and predictors of weekly pesticide exposure in applicators from organic, sustainable and conventional smallholder farms in Costa Rica. Occup Environ Med 2019; 77:40-47. [PMID: 31796522 PMCID: PMC6929695 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2019-105884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective Estimates of pesticide exposure among applicators from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce, and exposure assessment methods are sometimes costly or logistically unfeasible. We examined the variability in weeklong pesticide exposure among applicators in Costa Rica and its predictors. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 221 pesticide applicators from organic, sustainable and conventional farms in 2016. We administered structured questionnaires to assess pesticide application practices at two time points (4–6 weeks apart). We adapted an existing algorithm to fit the context of smallholders and derive weekly pesticide exposure scores. We used linear mixed-effect models to examine within-worker and between-worker score variability. We then identified sociodemographic and occupational predictors of weekly pesticide exposure scores. Results We observed high within-worker and between-worker variability in weekly pesticide exposures (eg, up to 180-fold and 70-fold differences in average weekly exposures within and between workers, respectively; intraclass correlation coefficient=0.4). Applicators working on conventional and sustainable farms had exposure scores twofold and 1.5-fold higher than those working in organic farms, respectively. Farm workers who received training on pesticide use had weekly pesticide exposure scores of 33% (95% CI 1% to 55%) lower than those who did not receive any training. Conclusions In this study of applicators from smallholder farms in Costa Rica, we determined the importance of collecting questionnaire data on self-reported pesticide use repeatedly due to its high variability within workers and absence of application records. Our questionnaire-based exposure algorithm could allow the calculation of semiquantitative estimates of average pesticide exposure for applicators from other LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Department Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Duebendorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Berna van Wendel de Joode
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Ana M Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.,Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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26
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Palzes VA, Sagiv SK, Baker JM, Rojas-Valverde D, Gutiérrez-Vargas R, Winkler MS, Fuhrimann S, Staudacher P, Menezes-Filho JA, Reiss AL, Eskenazi B, Mora AM. Manganese exposure and working memory-related brain activity in smallholder farmworkers in Costa Rica: Results from a pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 173:539-548. [PMID: 30991177 PMCID: PMC6581040 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Main sources of manganese (Mn) in the general population are diet and drinking water. Mn is also found in ethylene bisdithiocarbamate (EBDC) fungicides used in agriculture or emitted into the air by ferromanganese plants and welding fumes, which can be additional environmental and occupational sources of exposure. High occupational Mn exposure has been linked with motor, behavioral, and cognitive impairment, but its effects on neural function remain poorly understood. We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in a sample of 48 farmworkers in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, an agricultural region where EBDC fungicides are sprayed. We measured Mn concentrations in farmworkers' toenails (n = 40 farmworkers) and hair (n = 33 farmworkers), and recorded brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during a letter-retrieval working memory task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We estimated exposure-outcome associations using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age and education level. Geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) toenail and hair Mn concentrations were 0.40 μg/g (3.52) and 0.24 μg/g (3.54), respectively. We did not find strong evidence that Mn concentrations were associated with working memory-related brain activity in this sample of farmworkers; we also found null associations between working memory task accuracy and brain activity. However, our small sample size may have limited our ability to detect small effect sizes with statistical precision. Our study demonstrates that fNIRS can be a useful and feasible tool in environmental epidemiology for examining the effects of toxicants, like Mn, on neural function. This may prove to be important for elucidating neuropathological pathways that underlie previously reported associations of elevated Mn exposure with neurotoxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A Palzes
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica; Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sharon K Sagiv
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joseph M Baker
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Rojas-Valverde
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Randall Gutiérrez-Vargas
- Centro de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Salud y Deporte, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Mirko S Winkler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Philipp Staudacher
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ana M Mora
- Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica; Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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