Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticide mixtures with endocrine-disrupting activity

Abstract

Occupational exposure to pesticide mixtures comprising active substance(s) and/or co-formulant(s) with known/possible endocrine disrupting activity was assessed using long-term activity records for 50 professional operators representing arable and orchard cropping systems in Greece, Lithuania, and the UK. Exposure was estimated using the harmonised Agricultural Operator Exposure Model, and risk was quantified as a point of departure index (PODI) using the lowest no observed (adverse) effect level. Use of substances with known/possible endocrine activity was common, with 43 of the 50 operators applying at least one such active substance on more than 50% of spray days; at maximum, one UK operator sprayed five such active substances and ten such co-formulants in a single day. At 95 th percentile, total exposure was largest in the UK orchard system (4.1x10-2 mg kg bw-1 day-1) whereas risk was largest in the Greek cropping systems (PODI 5.3x10-1). All five cropping systems had instances indicating potential for risk when expressed at a daily resolution (maximum PODI 1.2-10.7). Toxicological data are sparse for co-formulants so combined risk from complex mixtures of active substances and co-formulants may be larger in reality.

Increased Thyroid Hormone Levels in Pesticide Sprayer at Agricultural Area

“…21,26 Some studies to predict pesticide exposure using the Agricultural Operator Exposure Model (AOEM) on formulators and sprayers has been shown that more than 50% of respondents have exceeded the Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (AOEL) for daily exposure, this caused increased health risks due to accumulation of active ingredients of pesticides, especially organophosphate pesticides. 27,28 This study found that the exposed pesticides respondent had a mean level of serum TSH significantly higher than the nonexposed respondent. In contrast, the mean level of serum T 3 and T 4 was significantly lower in exposed respondents, as shown in Table 1.…”

“…Some studies previously documented in pesticides sprayer and farmers that certain herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are thyroid disruptors, which had different impacts on the rest of the population. [28][29][30] This study controlled several variables that could affect serum thyroid hormone levels, such as iodine tablet consumption and a history of chronic disease. It could be ascertained that differences in serum levels of thyroid hormone between the two groups are indeed caused by exposure to pesticides.…”

Roadmap for action on Risk Assessment of Combined Exposure to Multiple Chemicals (RACEMiC)

“…focused on the comparison of physiological responses of i.a. human hepatoma cells to the pesticide active substance, the pesticide formulation and the major co-formulant (Kaisarevic, Tenji et al 2019) or on the occupational exposure to pesticide formulations with endocrinedisrupting activity comprising the simultaneous exposure to co-formulants and pesticide active substances (Wong, Garthwaite et al 2018). Moreover, the BfR investigates the qualitative and quantitative impact on the uptake and elimination of active substances as influenced by co-formulants in several in vitro studies (Karaca, Fischer et al 2021).…”

Human Health Consequences of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

“…The number of EDCs has markedly increased over the past 60 years. Humans are constantly exposed to hundreds of EDCs mainly through air, water, and food [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”