Pesticide exposure and blood endosulfan levels after first season spray amongst farm workers in the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The study investigated serum endosulfan changes resulting from occupational exposure to the pesticide on farms. Eight applicators and 17 non-applicators were tested (serum endosulfan, anthropometry, short exposure questionnaire) before and after the first day of seasonal spraying. Task-based job exposure matrix (JEM) estimates were calculated. Mean baseline serum endosulfan (530 ± 0.05 μ g/L) was high. Increases in post-spraying endosulfan levels (IPSE) were higher in applicators (mean = 60 ± 90 μ g/L) than in non-applicators (mean = 3.5 × 10^{− 6}± 90.0 μ g/L) adjusting for age (β = 54.0, p = 0.162, R² = 0.22). There was a weak positive relationship between IPSE and JEM estimates. IPSE occurred in applicators and non-applicators and were higher in applicators. The validity of the JEM weightings and characterization of other routes of pesticide exposure require further investigation.

Keywords:

• Pesticide exposure
• bio-monitoring
• endosulfan
• job exposure matrix
• spraying
• mixing
• drift
• occupational
• environmental

Acknowledgments

The National Research Foundation (SA), the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee and the NIH and The University of Michigan/US National Institutes of Health/Forgarty International Centre-Southern African Programme in Environmental and Occupational Health are thanked for their financial support.

Notes

∗ N = none, G = gloves, O = overall, P = plastic overcoat with hood, T = top boots, M = Mask.