Effect of occupational exposure to aldrin on urinary d-glucaric acid, plasma dieldrin, and lymphocyte sister chromatid exchange

Abstract

The effects of exposure to the chlorinated cyclodiene termiticide aldrin was evaluated in pest control workers potentially exposed to this material. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequencies were not elevated in workers handling aldrin. This is consistent with the fact that chlorinated cyclodienes are not genotoxic. Plasma dieldrin concentrations (up to 250 ng/ml) confirmed exposure in workers actively performing termiticide treatments and in maintenance and store workers, when compared with unexposed control workers (median concentration, 4.8 ng/ml). Urinary D-glucaric acid (DGA), an index of hepatic enzyme activity, was elevated in pesticide-exposed groups but urinary DGA was poorly correlated with plasma dieldrin level. This indicates that concurrent exposures of these groups to other pesticides may have influenced mixed-function oxidase metabolic activity.

Effect of Aldrin on Life History Characteristics of Rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus Pallas

“…Aldrin is readily absorbed into the circulating blood from the gastrointestinal tract, through the skin or by inhalation, and is rapidly converted to dieldrin through a mixed function monooxygenase-dependent pathway (aldrin epoxidase) (Hayes 1982). Chronic exposure of animals and human beings to aldrin or dieldrin has resulted in dose-related hepatomegaly and histological changes (Jager 1970;Edwards and Priestly 1994;Huyer 1998). Aldrin demonstrates estrogenic activity by a series of assays such as increase in the weights of uteri in immature and ovariectomized mature rats and binding capacity to recombinant human steroid receptors (Chatterjee et al 1992;Scippo et al 2004).…”

Biomarkers of Human Exposure to Pesticides

“…Urinary D-glucaric acid (DGA), an index of hepatic enzyme activity, was elevated in pesticide-exposed groups but urinary DGA was poorly correlated with plasma dieldrin level. This indicates that concurrent exposures of these groups to other pesticides may have influenced mixed-function oxidase metabolic activity (53).…”