Occupational exposure to pesticides in farmworkers and the oxidative markers

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.

The Impact of Pesticides on Parkinson's Disease; A Case-Control Study

“…AChE serves as an enzymatic catalyst for the degradation of acetylcholine at nerve terminals. The presence of OPPs can irreversibly impede enzyme action, resulting in the accumulation of acetylcholine, interference with neural networks, and subsequent consequences (5). The decline in AChE activity indicated in the current study strongly implies an elevated exposure to OPPs within the aforementioned population.…”

“…Exposure to pesticides and subsequent possible damage to human health may occur through various routes, such as inhalation (the act of breathing in air contaminated with pesticides), dermal contact (direct interaction with pesticide-treated surfaces), oral ingestion (consuming contaminated food, and water, or improper hygiene practices), occupational exposure, and environmental exposure (25). It is widely accepted that pesticide exposure is crucially related to chronic and acute disorders such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and neuro-related diseases (5,26). OCPs, as illegal chemicals (despite the fact that the use of OCPs has been banned for many years, but they are still one of the most problematic poisons in many societies due to their high stability in the environment and possible abuses), and OPPs (as pesticides that are widely used in various cases all over the world), are among the most common pesticides that cause various toxicities to humans and other organisms despite their high efficiency (27).…”

“…Pesticide exposure is assumed to be one of the main environmental factors leading to PD (4). These chemicals, which are frequently used to control or exterminate pests, are classified based on the presence of active substances such as carbamates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and organophosphates (5).…”

“…Oxidative stress may also irreversibly generate protein carbonyl derivatives (carbonyl proteins, CPs), including aldehydes and ketones, through amino acid oxidation that may be implicated in neurodegenerative diseases (17). In addition, the measurement of the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), the most mutagenic end product of lipid oxidation, is used to assess lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress intensity (5).…”

First meta-analysis study of cholinesterase inhibition in experimental animals by organophosphate or carbamate insecticides under the influence of diphenhydramine

“…However, the inhibition of ChE activity by OP is irreversible, whereas that by CA is reversible [ 4 , 6 ]. Based on the properties of these insecticides in inhibiting ChE, ChE activities in blood, including those in serum or plasma cholinesterase (PChE) and erythrocytes cholinesterase (EChE), are usually measured as biomonitoring of the exposure to pesticides and to assess the status of poisoning [ 7 , 8 ].…”