Pesticides Residues in Blood Serum and Their Adverse Effects on Multi- Biomarkers in Occupationally Exposed Greenhouse Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hamadan City, Iran

Abstract

The cultivation of greenhouse crops is the most severe form of crop production in Iran, and vast quantities of unreasonable pesticides are being utilized to control pests. The residual level of blood pesticides and its correlation with multi- biomarkers were determined to evaluate the adverse health consequences on greenhouse workers in the Hamdan city of Iran. Participants were 180 adult males, including 90 greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides and 90 control individuals. The residue analyses revealed that 64 out of the 90 workers had residues of dichlorvos, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos in their blood serum; and 56.25% out of these workers were exposed for > 15 years period. The residues of all three pesticides were higher than the no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) in all the exposure duration categories. Comparisons of hematological parameters showed that mean monocyte (P < 0.001), lymphocyte (P < 0.001) and platelet counts (P = 0.001), mean platelet volume (P = 0.002), and plateletcrit (PCT) (P < 0.001) were significantly higher in workers than in controls, whereas hemoglobin (HB) (P = 0.028), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations (MCHC) (P < 0.001) were lower in workers than controls. These results show that exposure to different pesticides was associated with alterations in some biochemical and hematological parameters. Prevention and intervention programs can be effective in eliminating pesticide-related alterations among agricultural workers.