| Biological Monitoring Survey of Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure among Pre-school Children in the Seattle Metropolitan Area Chensheng Lu, Dianne E. Knutson, Jennifer Fisker-Andersen, and Richard A. Fenske Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Abstract
In this study we assessed organophosphorus (OP) pesticide exposure among children living in two Seattle metropolitan area communities by measuring urinary metabolites, and identified possible exposure risk factors through a parental interview. We recruited children in clinic and outpatient waiting rooms. We obtained spot urine samples in the spring and fall of 1998 from 110 children ages 2-5 years, from 96 households. We analyzed urine samples for six dialkylphosphate (DAP) compounds, the common metabolites of the OP pesticides. Through parental interviews we gathered demographic and residential pesticide use data. At least one of the DAP metabolites was measured in 99% of the children, and the two predominant metabolites (DMTP and DETP) were measured in 70-75% of the children. We found no significant differences in DAP concentrations related to season, community, sex, age, family income, or housing type. Median concentrations of dimethyl and diethyl DAPs were 0.11 and 0.04 µmol/L, respectively (all children) . Concentrations were significantly higher in children whose parents reported pesticide use in the garden (0.19 vs. 0.09 µmol/L for dimethyl metabolites, p = 0.05 ; 0.04 vs. 0.03 µmol/L for diethyl metabolites, p = 0.02) , but were not different based on reported pet treatment or indoor residential use. Nearly all children in this study had measurable levels of OP pesticide metabolites. Some of this exposure was likely due to diet. Garden pesticide use was associated with elevated metabolite levels. It is unlikely that these exposure levels would cause acute intoxication, but the long-term health effects of such exposures are unknown. We recommend that OP pesticide use be avoided in areas where children are likely to play. Key words: biological monitoring, children, dialkylphosphate compounds, organophosphorous pesticides, urine. Environ Health Perspect 109:299-303 (2001) . [Online 5 March 2001] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/109p299-303lu/ abstract.html Address correspondence to C. Lu, Box 357234, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7234 USA. Telephone: (206) 685-9299. Fax: (206) 616-2687. E-mail: calu@u.washington.edu We thank S. Kong for her assistance in subject recruitment and sample collection, T. Moate for the analytical work, and the families who participated in this study. This work was supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) through Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program (grant R819186-01) and by Cooperative Agreement U07/CCU012926-04 (Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center) from the NIOSH/CDC. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the U.S. EPA or the National Institute for Occupational Health/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Received 11 September 2000 ; accepted 23 October 2000.
The full version of this article is available for free in HTML or PDF formats. |
