Evaluation of paraoxonase I and hemoglobin levels in farmers and agricultural workers in relation to pesticide levels in their blood and urine samples: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Pesticides are chemicals that have become common household products in developing countries. The purpose of pesticides is to manage agricultural work. The majority of pesticides for indoor and agricultural use are carbamate and organophosphorus. Toxicity is caused due to excess and improper use or disposal of these chemical agents. Slow exposure to pesticides causes chronic poisoning whereas rapid exposure causes acute poisoning. The paraoxonase I (PON 1) enzyme has a role in detoxifying some of the oxon derivatives which thereby inhibit acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. Methods: This study analyzed farmers who were exposed intermittently to organophosphorus and carbamates pesticides during farming for more than five years. Serum paraoxonase I was evaluated by colorimetry method, and hemoglobin levels were evaluated using portable Fresenius Kabi haemoglobinometer. Results: The study showed that the pesticides were found in the blood and urine samples of farmers and there was an alteration of paraoxonase I and hemoglobin levels in them due to the exposure of pesticides in large quantities over some time. The present study showed around 81% of the participants who were intermittently exposed to pesticides for more than five years were detected with pesticide toxicity. The paraoxonase I level was altered in farmers who were positive for organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides. The hemoglobin level did not show much variation among the farmers exposed to pesticides. This may be due to the lifestyle of the subjects, climatic variations and also their eating habits. Conclusions: The study suggested that there was alteration in the levels of PON1 and hemoglobin in farmers and agricultural workers with positive organophosphorus and carbamates in their blood and urine samples. As our study was done without quantifying the amount of pesticides, further studies can be done by quantifying the pesticide level and comparing it with the paraoxonase I level.

Evaluation of paraoxonase I and hemoglobin levels in farmers and agricultural workers in relation to organophosphorus and carbamate levels in their blood and urine samples: A cross sectional study

“…All the samples were divided into four groups based on the presence of the type of pesticide as; Group 1: CBM which was detected in 60 farmers; Group 2: OP positive in 13 farmers; Group 3: Absence of pesticide which was seen in 19 participants and Group 4: Both OP and CBM, positive in 8 farmers, as mentioned in Table 1 and Underlying data. 16 The four groups were analyzed statistically but did not show any significant relation with a p-value (p < 0.005). PON I level was comparatively low in participants positive for CBM, OP, and both CBM and OP positive when compared with participants who were detected negative for pesticide (Table 2).…”

“…https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22595113.v3. 16 This project contains the following underlying data:…”

“…The reference (16) says "a major", while you say "the major". This reference is not good evidence, because it is just a statement with no information about the studies that demonstrate the figures they show.…”