Pesticide use in the United States continues to attract negative public attention. In recent years, this attention has focused on the effects that chronic, low-level pesticides may have, especially on children and various sub-populations. Over the past decade, studies have attempted to correlate negative health effects with detections of pesticide biomarkers in biological media. The current research investigates biomarker of exposure levels in a sample of the United States population. Data from the 2001-2002 NHANES dataset (n=11,039) was evaluated. The detection frequency of urinary biomarkers of exposure and the geometric mean from the NHANES pesticide dataset (n=3,152) were determined. Of the 18 specific pesticide biomarkers, three were detected in more than 50% of the sample: 79% had a detectable level of 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol, a biomarker of chlorpyrifos, with a geometric mean of 2.07 µg/L (C.I: 1.98-2.17); 53% had a detectable level of paranitrophenol, a biomarker of methyl parathion, with a geometric mean of 0.367 µg/L (C.I.: 0.346-0.389); and 77% had a detectable level of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid, a biomarker of permethrin, with a geometric mean of 0.336 µg/L (C.I.: 0.320-0.352). These levels fall within the range of other epidemiological and biomonitoring studies investigating background levels of biomarkers in the general population. The association between the detection of a biomarker and variations in mean height and weight of children aged 6-11 was evaluated. No significant results were found when evaluating these differences for 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol exposure. Paranitrophenol associated with shorter children at age 8 [Non-Detect=134.3 cm and Detect: 130.9 cm (p=0.046)] and taller children at age 11 [Detect=153.7 cm and Non-Detect=149.9 cm (p=0.022)]. Heavier children associated with 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid at age 7: [Detect=28.61 kg and Non-Detect=25.26 kg (p=0.009)]. Clinical chemistry biochemical concentration comparisons were made between individuals that had a detectable level of the biomarker in urine and those that did not. Two biochemicals had a significant difference across all three biomarkers: cholesterol and sodium. The biochemical levels with significant difference between detects and non-detects for the biomarkers were not elevated above clinical reference values. Overall, there is insufficient evidence to suggest a relationship between background pesticide exposures in this sample and negative health effects.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USF/oai:scholarcommons.usf.edu:etd-5319 |
Date | 01 January 2012 |
Creators | Lebeau, Alex Lance |
Publisher | Scholar Commons |
Source Sets | University of South Flordia |
Detected Language | English |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Source | Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
Rights | default |
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