Relationship between Urinary Pesticide Metabolites and Pest Control Operation among Occupational Pesticide Sprayers

• Published in: Journal of Occupational Health 2009, Vol.51 (1), p.100-105
• Main Authors: Kimata, Akiko, Kondo, Takaaki, Ueyama, Jun, Yamamoto, Kanami, Mochizuki, Aiko, Asai, Kazumi, Takagi, Kenji, Okamura, Ai, Wang, Dong, Kamijima, Michihiro, Nakajima, Tamie, Fukaya, Yukio, Shibata, Eiji, Gotoh, Masahiro, Saito, Isao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3‐Phenoxybenzoic acid; Acetylcholinesterase - blood; Adult; Benzoates - blood; Benzoates - metabolism; Benzoates - urine; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - urine; Cholinesterase Inhibitors - analysis; Cholinesterase Inhibitors - metabolism; Dialkylphosphate; Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase; Female; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Health checkup; Humans; Insect Control; Insecticides - analysis; Insecticides - blood; Insecticides - metabolism; Insecticides - urine; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational Exposure - analysis; Organophosphorus Compounds - blood; Organophosphorus Compounds - metabolism; Organophosphorus Compounds - urine; Physical Examination; Pyrethrins - blood; Pyrethrins - metabolism; Pyrethrins - urine; Risk Factors; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1341-9145; 1348-9585; 1348-9585
• DOI: 10.1539/joh.m7005

Since the prohibition of organochlorines such as DDT in the 1960s, insecticides currently available on the market for agricultural and non-agricultural pest control purposes can be categorized into two major classes according to their chemical structures and properties, i.e., organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) and pyrethroids, both of which are widely used1). While both OPs and pyrethroids owe their insecticidal potency to their neurotoxicity, their actions are attributable to distinct mechanisms in that OPs work by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE)2) and pyrethroids by interacting with the voltage-gated sodium channels of the axon3). The widespread application of these pesticides is ascribable in part to the lower sensitivity of mammals to these compounds due to mechanisms including faster metabolic detoxification, though concern remains over their neurotoxicity2,3), induction of oxidative stress4), immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity in humans5,6). Statistics indicate that use of pesticides was on the increase up to 1981 and has been sustained around that level ever since7), implying that the practice of pesticide spraying has not declined for the past two or more decades.