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María D. Ortiz-Pérez,¹ Arturo Torres-Dosal,² Lilia E. Batres,² Olga D. López-Guzmán,² M. Grimaldo,¹ C. Carranza,³ Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado,² Flavio Martínez,¹ José Pérez-Urizar,³ and Fernando Díaz-Barriga²

¹Facultad de Medicina, ²Unidad Pediátrica Ambiental de la Facultad de Medicina, and ³Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma, San Luis Potosí, México

Abstract
We reported previously that children are exposed to deltamethrin in malarious areas. In the present work we explored the levels of this insecticide in soil samples and also obtained relevant toxicokinetic data of deltamethrin in exposed children. Results show that, after spraying, indoor levels of deltamethrin in soil samples were higher than outdoor levels. The mean half-life estimated with these data was 15.5 days for outdoor samples and 15.4 days for indoor samples. Children's exposure to deltamethrin was assessed using as biomarkers the urinary concentrations of the metabolites 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl) -2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (Br₂CA) . The mean level of both biomarkers reached a peak within the first 24 hr postexposure ; 6 months after the initial exposure, urinary levels of 3-PBA and Br₂CA were found at levels observed before exposure. Approximately 91% of the total 3-PBA or Br₂CA was excreted during the first 3 days after exposure. Therefore, we estimated a half-life for this period, the values for 3-PBA and Br₂CA being almost identical (13.5 vs. 14.5 hr) . Finally, considering reports about the genotoxicity of deltamethrin, we assessed DNA damage in children before and 24 hr after indoor spraying of deltamethrin ; we found no differences in the comet assay end points. In conclusion, we observed exposure to deltamethrin in children, but we did not find any relationship between soil concentrations of deltamethrin and urinary levels of the metabolites. At least for genotoxicity, the exposed children appeared not to be at risk. Key words: children's health, deltamethrin, genotoxicity, pyrethroids, soil pollution, toxicokinetics. Environ Health Perspect 113: 782-786 (2005) . doi:10.1289/ehp.7652 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 25 February 2005]

Address correspondence to F. Díaz-Barriga, Unidad Pediátrica Ambiental, Facultad de Medicina, Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2405, 78210 San Luis Potosí, SLP México. Telephone and fax: 52-444-826-2354. E-mail: fdia@uaslp.mx

This work was supported by a grant of the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The work described in the manuscript was conducted in accordance with national and institutional guidelines for the protection of human subjects.

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 11 October 2004 ; accepted 24 February 2005.