Pesticide Urinary Metabolites Among Latina Farmworkers and Nonfarmworkers in North Carolina

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Thomas A. Arcury, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Paul J. Laurienti, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Jennifer W. Talton, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Haiying Chen, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Timothy D. Howard, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Dana Barr, Emory University; Dana C. Mora, Wake Forest School of Medicine; Sara A. Quandt, Wake Forest School of Medicine
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-01-01
• Publisher: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2017 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001189
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• ISSN: 1076-2752
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: E63
• End Page: E71
• Grant/Funding Information: Funding was provided by grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (R01-ES008739 and R21-ES019720).
• Keywords: SEMEN QUALITY; POPULATION; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN; CHAMACOS COHORT; WASHINGTON-STATE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; HUMAN SPERM; PRENATAL EXPOSURE; ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDE; Science & Technology; AGRICULTURAL HEALTH; PARKINSONS-DISEASE
• Research Categories: Biology, Biostatistics; Health Sciences, Radiology; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

Objectives: This paper compares detections and concentrations of pesticide urinary metabolites for Latina farmworkers and nonfarmworkers in North Carolina. Methods: Thirty-one farmworkers and 55 nonfarmworkers provided urine samples in 2012 and 2013. Urine samples were analyzed for detections and concentrations of organophosphate insecticide, bis-dithiocarbamate fungicide, and pyrethroid insecticide urinary metabolites. Results: Detections for several organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticide urinary metabolites were present for substantial proportions of the farmworkers and nonfarmworkers. Concentrations for several of these metabolites were high. Farmworkers and nonfarmworkers were similar in detections and concentrations for the pesticide urinary metabolites included in this analysis. Conclusions: Participant pesticide exposure increases health risks for them and their children. Research needs to document pesticide exposure, its health effects, and ways to reduce it. Current information justifies policy development to reduce pesticide exposure in all communities.