Comparison of the penetration of 14 pesticides through the skin of young and adult rats

Atrazine Toxicity: The Possible Role of Natural Products for Effective Treatment

There are various herbicides which were used in the agriculture industry. Atrazine (ATZ) is a chlorinated triazine herbicide that consists of a ring structure, known as the triazine ring, along with a chlorine atom and five nitrogen atoms. ATZ is a water-soluble herbicide, which makes it capable of easily infiltrating into majority of the aquatic ecosystems. There are reports of toxic effects of ATZ on different systems of the body but, unfortunately, majority of these scientific reports were documented in animals. The herbicide was reported to enter the body through various routes. The toxicity of the herbicide can cause deleterious effects on the respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and urinary systems of the human body. Alarmingly, few studies in industrial workers showed ATZ exposure leading to cancer. We embarked on the present review to discuss the mechanism of action of ATZ toxicity for which there is no specific antidote or drug. Evidence-based published literature on the effective use of natural products such as lycopene, curcumin, Panax ginseng, Spirulina platensis, Fucoidans, vitamin C, soyabeans, quercetin, L-carnitine, Telfairia occidentalis, vitamin E, Garcinia kola, melatonin, selenium, Isatis indigotica, polyphenols, Acacia nilotica, and Zingiber officinale were discussed in detail. In the absence of any particular allopathic drug, the present review may open the doors for future drug design involving the natural products and their active compounds.

Chlordecone consumption estimated by sewage epidemiology approach for health policy assessment

Chlordecone is an organochlorine insecticide that was intensively used in the French West Indies to control the black weevil Cosmopolites sordidus in bananas. Its usage, however, resulted in the widespread pollution of the environment with heavy sanitary and social consequences, leading to population exposure mainly through food. Time-consuming and costly programs have been used to tackle this problem, and this study proposes to use the emerging sewage epidemiology approach to evaluate the current situation and the effect of such programs. The results determine the maximal value of chlordecone consumption, and considering the detection limit of the analytical protocol, the wastewater was found to have undetectable amounts of chlordecone. This value confirms the efficiency of the population protection strategy provided by French sanitary and environmental authorities. It also bolsters the usage of sewage epidemiology in pesticide assessment and relativizes the chlordecone risk compared to other chemicals of lesser concern.

Incorporating Low-Dose Epidemiology Data in a Chlorpyrifos Risk Assessment

USEPA assessed whether epidemiology data suggest that fetal or early-life chlorpyrifos exposure causes neurodevelopmental effects and, if so, whether they occur at exposures below those causing the current most sensitive endpoint, 10% inhibition of blood acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE). We previously conducted a hypothesis-based weight-of-evidence analysis and found that a proposed causal association between chlorpyrifos exposure and neurodevelopmental effects in the absence of AChE inhibition does not have a substantial basis in existing animal or in vitro studies, and there is no plausible basis for invoking such effects in humans at their far lower exposure levels. The epidemiology studies fail to show consistent patterns; the few associations are likely attributable to alternative explanations. Human data are inappropriate for a dose-response assessment because biomarkers were only measured at one time point, may reflect exposure to other pesticides, and many values are at or below limits of quantification. When considered with pharmacokinetic data, however, these biomarkers provide information on exposure levels relative to those in experimental studies and indicate a margin of exposure of at least 1,000. Because animal data take into account the most sensitive lifestages, the use of AChE inhibition as a regulatory endpoint is protective of adverse effects in sensitive populations.

Incorporating Low-dose Epidemiology Data in a Chlorpyrifos Risk Assessment

USEPA assessed whether epidemiology data suggest that fetal or early-life chlorpyrifos exposure causes neurodevelopmental effects and, if so, whether they occur at exposures below those causing the current most sensitive endpoint, 10% inhibition of blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE). We previously conducted a hypothesis-based weight-of-evidence analysis and found that a proposed causal association between chlorpyrifos exposure and neurodevelopmental effects in the absence of AChE inhibition does not have a substantial basis in existing animal or in vitro studies, and there is no plausible basis for invoking such effects in humans at their far lower exposure levels. The epidemiology studies fail to show consistent patterns; the few associations are likely attributable to alternative explanations. Human data are inappropriate for a dose-response assessment because biomarkers were only measured at one time point, may reflect exposure to other pesticides, and many values are at or below limits of quantification. When considered with pharmacokinetic data, however, these biomarkers provide information on exposure levels relative to those in experimental studies and indicate a margin of exposure of at least 1,000. Because animal data take into account the most sensitive lifestages, the use of AChE inhibition as a regulatory endpoint is protective of adverse effects in sensitive populations.

Toxicokinetic modeling of folpet fungicide and its ring-biomarkers of exposure in humans

A human in vivo toxicokinetic model was built to allow a better understanding of the toxicokinetics of folpet fungicide and its key ring biomarkers of exposure: phthalimide (PI), phthalamic acid (PAA) and phthalic acid (PA). Both PI and the sum of ring metabolites, expressed as PA equivalents (PAeq), may be used as biomarkers of exposure. The conceptual representation of the model was based on the analysis of the time course of these biomarkers in volunteers orally and dermally exposed to folpet. In the model, compartments were also used to represent the body burden of folpet and experimentally relevant PI, PAA and PA ring metabolites in blood and in key tissues as well as in excreta, hence urinary and feces. The time evolution of these biomarkers in each compartment of the model was then mathematically described by a system of coupled differential equations. The mathematical parameters of the model were then determined from best fits to the time courses of PI and PAeq in blood and urine of five volunteers administered orally 1 mg kg(-1) and dermally 10 mg kg(-1) of folpet. In the case of oral administration, the mean elimination half-life of PI from blood (through feces, urine or metabolism) was found to be 39.9 h as compared with 28.0 h for PAeq. In the case of a dermal application, mean elimination half-life of PI and PAeq was estimated to be 34.3 and 29.3 h, respectively. The average final fractions of administered dose recovered in urine as PI over the 0-96 h period were 0.030 and 0.002%, for oral and dermal exposure, respectively. Corresponding values for PAeq were 24.5 and 1.83%, respectively. Finally, the average clearance rate of PI from blood calculated from the oral and dermal data was 0.09 ± 0.03 and 0.13 ± 0.05 ml h(-1) while the volume of distribution was 4.30 ± 1.12 and 6.05 ± 2.22 l, respectively. It was not possible to obtain the corresponding values from PAeq data owing to the lack of blood time course data.

Toxicokinetics of captan and folpet biomarkers in dermally exposed volunteers

To better assess biomonitoring data in workers exposed to captan and folpet, the kinetics of ring metabolites [tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI), phthalimide (PI) and phthalic acid] were determined in urine and plasma of dermally exposed volunteers. A 10  mg kg(-1) dose of each fungicide was applied on 80  cm(2) of the forearm and left without occlusion or washing for 24  h. Blood samples were withdrawn at fixed time periods over the 72  h following application and complete urine voids were collected over 96  h post-dosing, for metabolite analysis. In the hours following treatment, a progressive increase in plasma levels of THPI and PI was observed, with peak levels being reached at 24  h for THPI and 10  h for PI. The ensuing elimination phase appeared monophasic with a mean elimination half-life (t(½) ) of 24.7 and 29.7 h for THPI and PI, respectively. In urine, time courses PI and phthalic acid excretion rate rapidly evolved in parallel, and a mean elimination t(½) of 28.8 and 29.6  h, respectively, was calculated from these curves. THPI was eliminated slightly faster, with a mean t(½) of 18.7  h. Over the 96  h period post-application, metabolites were almost completely excreted, and on average 0.02% of captan dose was recovered in urine as THPI while 1.8% of the folpet dose was excreted as phthalic acid and 0.002% as PI, suggesting a low dermal absorption fraction for both fungicides. This study showed the potential use of THPI, PI and phthalic acid as key biomarkers of exposure to captan and folpet.

Estimation of the percutaneous absorption of permethrin in humans using the parallelogram method

The objective of this study was to develop an estimate of the percent dermal absorption of permethrin in humans to provide more accurate estimates of potential systemically absorbed dose associated with dermal exposure scenarios. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was used as a reference compound. The human percutaneous absorption estimate was based on the assumption that the ratio of in vivo dermal absorption (expressed as a percentage during a given time period) of permethrin through rat skin to in vitro dermal absorption through rat skin was the same as the ratio of in vivo dermal absorption in humans to in vitro dermal absorption with human skin, known as the parallelogram method. The ratio of dermal absorption by in vitro rat skin to absorption by in vitro human skin ranged from 6.7 to 15.4 (for a 24-h exposure period) with an average of 11. Data suggest in vivo human dermal absorption values for permethrin ranging from 1.4 to 3.3% when estimated based on 24-h in vivo rat values, and 2.5 to 5.7% based on 5-d in vivo rat values. The parallelogram method used to estimate dermal absorption of permethrin and PBO is supported by results from several other compounds for which in vivo and in vitro rat and human dermal absorption data exist. Collectively, these data indicate that estimating human dermal absorption from in vitro human and rat plus in vivo rat data are typically accurate within ±3-fold of the values measured in human subjects.

Experimental methods for determining permethrin dermal absorption

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the percutaneous absorption of radiolabeled permethrin and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in vivo in rats and in vitro to permit a calculation of the ratio of in vitro to in vivo values, and (2) test a method of estimating in vivo human absorption. Carbon-14 labeled permethrin in ethanol solution was applied to the clipped skin of rats in vivo at doses of 2.25, 20, or 200 μg/cm2. As a reference compound, 14C-labeled PBO in isopropanol solution was applied to rat skin in vivo at a dose of 100 μg/cm2. All applications were washed at 24 h postapplication, and rats were sacrificed either at 24 h for permethrin or 5 d for both compounds. The radiolabel recovered from carcass, urine including cage wash, and feces was summed to determine percent absorption. For the 24-h time point, at doses of 2.25, 20, and 200 μg/cm2 of permethrin, values of 22, 22, and 28%, respectively, were obtained for in vivo rat percutaneous absorption (n=6 per dose). For the 5-d time point, at doses of 2.25, 20, and 200 μg/cm2 of permethrin, values of 38, 38, and 30%, respectively, were obtained for in vivo rat percutaneous absorption (n=6 per dose). The 5-d percutaneous absorption of 14C-PBO at 100 μg/cm2 was determined to be 42% (n=6). Dose and test duration did not exert a statistically significant effect on percutaneous absorption of permethrin in the rat in vivo. For in vitro absorption determination, 14C-permethrin in ethanol solution was applied to freshly excised human skin in an in vitro test system predictive of skin absorption in humans. Twenty-four hours after application, the radiolabel recovered from dermis and receptor fluid was summed to determine percent absorption. At doses of approximately 2.25, 20, and 200 μg/cm2 permethrin, values of 1, 3, and 2%, respectively, were obtained for percutaneous absorption (n=9 per dose). Excised human skin absorption of 14C-PBO at 100 μg/cm2 was determined to be 7% (n=9). Excised rat skin absorptions of permethrin at 2.25, 20, and 200 μg/cm2 were found to be 20, 18, and 24%, respectively (n=6 per dose), approximately 10-fold higher than human skin absorption. Excised rat skin absorption of PBO was also higher (35%) than the value obtained for human skin by a factor of about 5.

Percutaneous absorption and exposure assessment of pesticides

Dermal exposure to a diverse range of chemicals may result from various uses. In order to assess exposure and estimate potential risks, accurate quantitative data on absorption are required. Various factors will influence the final results and interpretations of studies designed to assess the ability of compounds to penetrate the skin. This overview will discuss skin penetration by pesticides, emphasizing key parameters to be considered from the perspective of exposure assessment.

Percutaneous absorption of an insect repellent p-menthane-3,8-DIOL: a model for human dermal absorption

p-Menthane-3,8-diol(38DIOL) was recently introduced as a natural topical insect repellent in the commercial product "OFF! Botanicals" lotion. The objective of this study was to provide an estimate of the potential for 38DIOL systemic absorption in humans. Carbon-14-labeled 38DIOL formulated in the lotion and in an ethanol solution was applied to excised pig skin in an in vitro flow-through test system predictive of skin absorption in humans. Twenty-four hours after application, radiolabel recovered from the dermis and receptor fluid was summed to determine percent absorption. At a dose of approximately 80 microg/cm(2) of 38DIOL in the lotion, a value of 3.5 +/- 0.8% of applied dose was obtained with pig skin. The corresponding value for 38DIOL in ethanol (90 microg/cm(2)) was not significantly different (3.0 +/- 1.2%). Most of the applied dose of 38DIOL was found to evaporate from pig skin (77 +/- 8% for the lotion and 87 +/- 1% for ethanol solution), thus limiting percutaneous absorption values. For reference purposes, the pig skin absorptions of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) at 100 microg/cm(2) in isopropanol, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) at 500 microg/cm(2) in ethanol, and neat isododecane at 650 microg/cm(2) (in order of increasing volatility) were 15 +/- 6%, 23 +/- 3%, and 0.09 +/- 0.05% of applied dose respectively. Isododecane was lost almost exclusively from the skin surface by evaporation. For additional reference, absorptions of PBO, DEET, and 38DIOL were found to be higher with excised rat skin.

Combined repeated dose and reproductive/developmental toxicity screening test of the nitrophenolic herbicide dinoseb, 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol, in rats

In a combined repeated dose toxicity study with reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test, Crj:CD(SD)IGS rats were dosed with dinoseb, 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol, by gavage at 0 (vehicle), 0.78, 2.33, or 7.0 mg/kg bw/day. Six males per group were dosed for a total of 42 days beginning 14 days before mating. Twelve females per group were dosed for a total of 44-48 days beginning 14 days before mating to day 6 of lactation throughout the mating and gestation period. Recovery groups of six males per group and nonpregnant six females per group were dosed for 42 days followed by a 14-day recovery period. No deaths were observed in males of any dose group or in females of the recovery groups. At 7.0 mg/kg bw/day, eight females died and two animals were moribund during late pregnancy, and a significant decrease in body weight gain was found in both sexes. Hematocrit was significantly higher at 0.78 mg/kg bw/day and above in the main group males at the end of administration period. Reduction in extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen was significant at 2.33 mg/kg bw/day in the main group females. Sperm analysis revealed a decrease in sperm motility and an increase in the rates of abnormal sperm, abnormal tail, and abnormal head at 7.0 mg/kg bw/day. A number of dams delivered their pups and of dams with live pups at delivery was significantly lowered in the 7.0 mg/kg bw/day group. Based on these findings, the LOAEL for males and NOAEL for females were 0.78 mg/kg bw/day, and the NOAEL for reproductive/developmental toxicity was considered to be 2.33 mg/kg bw/day.

Estimation of atrazine in the stratum corneum and its toxic effects in skin following topical application to rabbits

ABSTRACT For risk assessment, a workable non-invasive method for the estimation of atrazine in skin was needed. Moreover, the dermato-toxic effects of different concentrations of atrazine have not been studied so far. Fifteen milligrams of 35% solution of atrazine in ethanol was topically applied to each of six different clipped sites on the back of rabbits (n = 6). Each site was tape-stripped with 10 consecutive adhesive tapes at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 h of topical dosing to remove the stratum corneum (SC). Atrazine in tapes was extracted with methanol and analyzed with HPLC. The amount of atrazine detected in the SC at 6 h (1955.79 +/- 47.22 mug) is equivalent to 13.03% of the total applied dose. In dermal toxicity studies, 500 mul of 35%, 70% atrazine in ethanol and a commercial preparation of atrazine (Balance(R)) was dosed on clipped backs of rabbits (n = 4) for 4 days under occluded vs non-occluded conditions. Ethanol alone served as control. On the 5th day, rabbits were euthanized and skin was scored for erythema and then examined microscopically. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in erythema scores were observed with 70% atrazine and Balance(R) as compared to the control under occluded conditions. Significant differences in epidermal thickness and cell layers were observed with Balance(R) and 74% atrazine as compared to control in both dosing conditions. There were non-significant differences in erythema, epidermal thickness, or cell layers in occluded vs non-occluded applications of atrazine in ethanol, indicating that atrazine is equally toxic regardless of its application procedures. Moreover, under non-occluded application, very slight erythema was observed but microscopically significant epidermal hyperplasia was noticed. This indicates that even if there are no significant gross skin manifestations of atrazine this can still produce significant damage to the epidermal barrier and hence can result in increase in penetration of self or other toxic substances.

Immunotoxic Effects of Short-term Atrazine Exposure in Young Male C57BL/6 Mice

The herbicide atrazine (ATR) is a very widely used pesticide; yet the immunotoxicological potential of ATR has not been studied extensively. Our objective was to examine the effect of ATR on selected immune parameters in juvenile mice. ATR (up to 250 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage for 14 days to one-month-old male C57BL/6 mice. One day, one week, and seven weeks after the last ATR dose, mice were sacrificed, and blood, spleens, and thymuses were collected and processed for cell counting and flow cytometry. Thymus and spleen weights were decreased by ATR, with the thymus being more sensitive than the spleen; this effect was still present at seven days, but not at seven weeks after the last ATR dose. Similarly, organ cellularity was persistently decreased in the thymus and in the spleen, with the splenic, but not thymic cellularity still being depressed at seven weeks post ATR. Peripheral blood leukocyte counts were not affected by ATR. There were also alterations in the cell phenotypes in that ATR exposure decreased all phenotypes in the thymus, with the number of CD4(+)/CD8(+) being affected the least. At the higher doses, the decreases in the thymic T-cell populations were still present one week after the last ATR dose. In the spleen, the CD8(+) were increased and MHC-II(+) and CD19(+) cells were decreased one day after the last ATR dose. Also, ATR treatment decreased the number of splenic naïve T helper and T cytotoxic cells, whereas it increased the percentage of highly activated cytotoxic/memory T cells. Interestingly, the proportion of mature splenic dendritic cells (DC; CD11c(high)), was also decreased and it persisted for at least one week, suggesting that ATR inhibited DC maturation. In the circulation, ATR exposure decreased CD4(+) lymphocytes at one day, whereas at seven days after the last ATR dose, in addition to the decrease in CD4(+) lymphocytes, the MHC-II(+) cells were also decreased at the 250 mg/kg dose. Thus, ATR exposure appears to be detrimental to the immune system of juvenile mice by decreasing cellularity and affecting lymphocyte distribution, with certain effects persisting long after exposure has been terminated.

Percutaneous absorption and disposition of [14C]chlordecone in young and adult female rats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of age and dosage on percutaneous absorption and disposition of [14C]chlordecone (Kepone) and to describe results using a physiological based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. Female Fischer 344 rats 33 and 82 days old were used as the young and adult animal models, respectively, and were studied over a 10-fold dose range. [14C]Chlordecone (0.286 micromol/cm2) was applied to dorsal skin (2. 3% BSA) and radioactivity was quantified in selected tissues and excreta up to 120 h. Absorption and disposition were also determined at three dose levels up to 2.68 micromol/cm2; fraction absorbed decreased as dose increased. In vitro percutaneous absorption was measured by static and flow-through methods; these yielded similar penetration rates, which were lower than those obtained in vivo. In vivo percutaneous absorption over 120 h was 14.4+/-0.99 and 14.2+/-1. 5% dose in young and adults, respectively. Organ and tissue content increased over time (carcass>liver>kidney), indicating prolonged absorption. Statistical differences between young and old were found for liver, skin, and urine, but not for absorption. Excretion occurred primarily in feces, but also in urine. A biophysically based percutaneous model was fitted to both young and adult in vivo absorption data. This was embedded in a whole body PBPK model which, upon optimization with SAAM II, estimated apparent tissue partition coefficients, urinary and fecal excretion rates, and parameters characterizing hepatic nonlinear uptake of bound chlordecone. The model reasonably predicted tissue chlordecone content at higher doses, when decreased absorption was accounted for.

In vivo disposition of p-substituted phenols in the young rat after intraperitoneal and dermal administration

The objective of this study was to examine the 120-hr disposition of phenol and four p-substituted congeners after ip and dermal administration in the 29-day-old female rat. The dermal absorption was very high (66-80% of the dose) for phenol, cyanophenol, heptyloxyphenol and nitrophenol, but minimal for hydroxybenzoic acid (2%). The major portion of the dose for all of the phenols not absorbed dermally in 24 hr was washed from the skin. Only minor amounts (1-2%) were detected in the treated skin at 120 hr. Urinary excretion was the predominant means of elimination for these phenols and occurred primarily within 24 hr after dermal and ip administration. However, the excretion of heptytoxyphenol after administration by both routes differed from that of the other compounds, with more of it detected in the faeces. The profile of metabolites in urine (collected at 12-24 hr) from the animals dermally treated with phenol, cyanophenol, heptyloxyphenol and nitrophenol showed only peaks that eluted earlier than the parent compound, which suggests that conjugates or more polar metabolites were formed and excreted. The difference in dermal absorption between hydroxybenzoic acid and the other phenols may be due to potential ionization of the p-substituted carboxylic acid group of hydroxybenzoic acid. This suggests that, at least for the phenols examined in this study, physicochemical characteristics other than just lipophilicity can affect in vivo dermal absorption.

The influence of diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) on the percutaneous absorption of permethrin and carbaryl

Simultaneous exposure to DEET and permethrin was recently proposed to be associated with the "Gulf War Syndrome." However, no studies have reported the percutaneous absorption of DEET and permethrin when applied simultaneously to the skin as a mixture, the relevant route of exposure in the Persian Gulf. The present study quantitates percutaneous absorption of DEET and permethrin after coadministration to rodent and pig skin in vitro. Dosing solutions were also prepared with either acetone, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), or ethanol to compare vehicle effects on percutaneous absorption of permethrin and DEET. The influence of DEET on carbaryl absorption and dermal disposition was also assessed in pig studies to statistically demonstrate DEET effects in acetone or DMSO and different solvent concentrations. Topical application of permethrin + DEET resulted in absorption of DEET (1-20% dose), but no permethrin. Permethrin (1.2-1.7% dose) was detected only when mouse skin was dosed solely with permethrin, a finding suggesting that DEET decreased permethrin absorption. DEET also inhibited carbaryl absorption in acetone mixtures, but had no effect on DMSO mixtures. Irrespective of solvent, DEET did not enhance carbaryl penetration into skin. For DEET, absorption was greater in mouse skin (10.7-20.6% dose) than in rat skin (1.1-5.2% dose) and pig skin (2.8% dose). The extent of DEET absorption was greater with DMSO and acetone than with ethanol in rat and mouse skin. These studies support DEET, but not permethrin or carbaryl, as having sufficient systemic exposure to potentially cause signs of toxicity when simultaneously applied with pesticides. Furthermore, these studies demonstrated that DEET does not necessarily enhance dermal absorption of all toxicants as was originally hypothesized.

ATSDR evaluation of health effects of chemicals. II. Mirex and chlordecone: health effects, toxicokinetics, human exposure, and environmental fate

This document provides public health officials, physicians, toxicologists, and other interested individuals and groups with an overall perspective of the toxicology of mirex and chlordecone. It contains descriptions and evaluations of toxicological studies and epidemiological investigations and provides conclusions, where possible, on the relevance of toxicity and toxicokinetic data to public health. Additional substances will be profiled in a series of manuscripts to follow.

In vitro percutaneous absorption of dimethylarsinic acid in mice

The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro dermal absorption of [14C]dimethylarsinic acid. This organic arsenical is used as a herbicide and is a product of the mammalian metabolism of inorganic arsenic. Discs of preclipped dorsal skin were cut from adult female B6C3F1 mice and mounted in flow-through diffusion cells. HEPES-buffered Hanks balanced salt solution was used as receptor fluid. Doses of dimethylarsinic acid included 10, 100, and 500 micrograms and were applied onto the skin (0.64 cm2). Experiments (24 h) were conducted using solid compound and aqueous solution (20, 100, and 250 microliters) and soil (23 mg/cm2) as vehicles. The epidermal surface was washed at 24 h to remove compound that did not penetrate. The wash contained the greatest percentage of the dose in all experiments. Absorption of the compound into the skin and receptor fluid was observed and ranged from < 1 to 40% of the dose in experiments with the three exposure scenarios. The rank order of the various exposure conditions of dimethylarsinic acid absorption (10 micrograms) into the skin and receptor fluid was 20 microliters water > 100 microliters water > solid > 250 microliters water > soil. No dose or pH effects on absorption of dimethylarsinic acid was observed. There was also no pH effect on the partitioning of dimethylarsinic acid between 1-octanol and buffer. Short-term (1 h) exposure of dimethylarsinic acid in water followed by wash of the skin resulted in < 1% of the dose being absorbed. Thus, vehicles and duration of exposure have important roles on the in vitro dermal absorption of dimethylarsinic acid in mouse skin.

Carbofuran toxicity

Carbofuran, an anticholinesterase carbamate, is commonly used as an insecticide, nematicide, and acaricide in agricultural practice throughout the world. Due to its widespread use in agriculture, contamination of food, water, and air has become imminent, and consequently adverse health effects are inevitable in humans, animals, wildlife, and fish. Currently, carbofuran's involvement is most frequently encountered in malicious poisoning. The literature on chemical properties, acute toxicity data, poisoning incidences, pharmacokinetics, and mechanism of toxicity of carbofuran is briefly reviewed. Much emphasis is given to the metabolism of carbofuran, and the impact of carbofuran and its two major metabolites (3-hydroxycarbofuran and 3-ketocarbofuran) on overall toxicity. Biochemical (cholinergic and noncholinergic), hematological, and immunological effects induced by carbofuran are discussed in detail. Carbofuran and/or its major metabolites can cross the placental barrier and produce serious effects on the maternal-placental-fetal unit. Carbofuran's toxicity can be potentiated by simultaneous exposure with other cholinesterase inhibitors. Literature on various biomarkers of carbofuran exposure and on induced adverse health effects is also presented. To date, a combination of atropine and memantine remains the most effective antidotal treatment against acute carbofuran toxicity.

Percutaneous absorption, dermatopharmacokinetics and related bio-transformation studies of carbaryl, lindane, malathion, and parathion in isolated perfused porcine skin

The percutaneous absorption of topically applied pesticides is a primary route for systemic exposure and potential toxicity. The isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) is an in vitro model for studying percutaneous absorption of xenobiotics as well as cutaneous metabolism and toxicity in an anatomically intact viable skin preparation. In the present studies, percutaneous absorption of four different pesticides, carbaryl (C), lindane (L), malathion (M), and parathion (P), was assessed topically in an ethanol vehicle. A 4-compartment pharmacokinetic model was utilized to model their absorption profile. The order of absorption was C > P > L > M for the 8-h experimental period, but C > L > P > M for a model-extrapolated 6-day prediction. Metabolism of C and P was also assessed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC results indicate a significant first-pass effect for both pesticides after topical application, with parathion being metabolized to paraoxon and para-nitrophenol and carbaryl to naphthol. In addition, comparison of the metabolic data of P with previous results underscores the difference between non-recirculating and recirculating IPPSF systems in xenobiotic metabolism studies.

In vitro percutaneous absorption of monosodium methanearsonate and disodium methanearsonate in female B6C3F1 mice

Percutaneous absorption of monosodium [14C]methanearsonate (MSMA) and disodium [14C]methanearsonate (DSMA) was investigated in female B6C3F1 mice from a variety of exposure vehicles, including aqueous solution, solid compound, and soil. These chemicals are the sodium salts of methanearsonic acid, an in vivo metabolite of inorganic arsenic compounds, and are present in water and soil. Permeation experiments were carried out in vitro for 24 h using previously clipped dorsal skin (area = 0.64 cm2) in flow-through cells with HEPES-buffered Hanks balanced salt solution as receptor fluid. Applied doses of 10 (15.6), 100 (156), and 500 (781) micrograms (micrograms/cm2) were studied in selected vehicles, and dermal absorption was quantitated by determining the radioactivity in the receptor fluid and skin following a skin surface wash to remove unpenetrated compound. Both MSMA and DSMA exhibited similar dermal absorption from different vehicles, and the rank order was aqueous solution > solid compound > soil. The degree of ionization of the compounds did not appear to affect their skin absorption, as both monobasic and dibasic forms penetrated mouse skin to the same extent from aqueous vehicles. An alteration in the aqueous donor volume (20, 100, and 250 microliters) did not significantly change the total absorption of the chemicals; however, larger volumes significantly prolonged the time to reach maximal permeation rates. The major portion of the absorbed dose (53% or higher) remained in the skin for both chemicals. A constant fraction of the applied dose (12.4%) was absorbed from aqueous vehicles over the entire dosage range. Absorption of the chemicals was very low (< 0.5% of the dose) from soil. Even short-term (1 h) dermal exposure to an aqueous solution containing MSMA resulted in the penetration (0.66% of the dose) of this chemical. Thus, exposure vehicles have an important role in the in vitro dermal absorption of MSMA and DSMA in mouse skin, with aqueous solutions providing the greatest absorption.

Environmental fate of chlorpyrifos

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphorus compound that displays broad-spectrum insecticidal activity against a number of important arthropod pests. As a result, it is employed in a wide variety of agricultural and specialty pest control scenarios. Various formulations of chlorpyrifos have been developed to maximize stability and contact with pests and minimize human exposure. From corn agriculture in the United States to termite control in Japan to cotton agriculture in Egypt to citrus horticulture in Spain, chloropyrifos has been successfully employed to combat insect and other arthropod pests threatening the production of food and fiber and maintenance of human health. Due to the nonpolar nature of the chlorpyrifos molecule, it possesses a low water solubility (< 2 ppm) and great tendency to partition from aqueous into organic phases in the environment (log P of 4.7-5.3). It is characterized by an average soil and sediment sorption coefficient (Koc) of 8498 and aquatic bioconcentration factor of 100-5100 in fish. As a result of its high propensity for sorption, its movement through and over the soil profile is limited. It has been found to be relatively immobile vertically in soil and has not proved to be a groundwater contaminant. Surface runoff and erosion mobility are also low, and, in general, less than 0.3% of soil surface application has been observed to move even under the heaviest simulated precipitation conditions. Chlorpyrifos has an intermediate vapor pressure (2 x 10(-5) mm Hg, 25 degrees C), and under some conditions volatility is a significant mechanism of dissipation. This is especially true for plant foliage, from which it is the major means of loss, to some extent from water surfaces, and to a lesser degree from moist soil surfaces. Chlorpyrifos is a degradable compound, and both abiotic and biotic transformation processes effect its degradation within environmental compartments (Fig. 1). In all cases, the major pathway of transformation involves cleavage of the phosphate ester bond to form 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP). Hydrolytic transformation, although relatively slow in pure water under ideal conditions (half-lives of 29-74 d at pH 7, 25 degrees C), may be catalyzed under certain environmental conditions. These include alkaline conditions in water (pH > or = 8) and alkaline (pH > or = 7.5) and air-dry conditions in soil, and in some soils hydrolysis may be the major means of dissipation (Fig. 2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Dermal absorption of chemicals: effect of application of chemicals as a solid, aqueous paste, suspension, or in volatile vehicle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dermal absorption of chemicals in different physical forms when applied to female F344 rats. Chemicals were applied either as a solid, aqueous paste, suspension, or dissolved in the volatile vehicle ethanol. The chemicals investigated were [14C]-2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (DNBP, 4.2 mumol), 2,4,5,2',4',5'-[14C]-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB, 2.3 mumol), and 3,4,3',4'-[14C]-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB, 0.5 mumol). The chemicals were applied on the clipped mid-dorsal region of the rat over a 2.54-cm2 treatment area, which was then occluded. Urine and feces were collected and assayed for radioactivity. Twenty-four hours post-application, the treated skin was washed with a mixture (1:1) of soap and water, dried, and reoccluded. The animals were sacrificed at 120 h by exsanguination under ether anesthesia. Radioactivity in the blood, skin (treated and untreated), and carcass was assayed. Dermal absorption of DNBP-derived radioactivity was approximately 50% of the recovered dose after application in the four physical forms, and the major route of excretion was via the urine. Twelve percent of the absorbed dose of DNBP was retained in the body. Dermal penetration of HCB-derived radioactivity was 5-8% of the recovered dose after application in the four forms, and the major route of excretion was via the feces. Greater than 90% of the absorbed dose of HCB-derived radioactivity was retained in the body. Dermal penetration of TCB-derived radioactivity was 6-8% of the recovered dose in the four forms, and the major route of excretion was via the feces. Approximately 21% of the absorbed dose was retained in the body at 120 h. Absorption of each chemical applied either as solid, aqueous paste, or suspension was compared to the absorption of the same chemical in ethanol. Absorption of HCB applied as a solid was significantly higher (p less than or equal to .05) as compared to HCB applied in ethanol. There were no other significantly differences in the comparisons of absorption. The data indicate that the chemicals examined in this study can penetrate the skin as readily when applied either as a solid, aqueous paste, or suspension, as when applied in the volatile vehicle ethanol.

Dermal penetration of 14C-labeled diisopropyl methylphosphonate in swine

Diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) has been identified as a groundwater contaminant on or near sites of former chemical warfare production facilities. The material is a by-product of GB (or Sarin) manufacture and does not occur naturally in the environment. The present study measured the dermal absorption of 14C-labeled DIMP in swine to establish the basis for estimating health risk from this portal of entry. Yorkshire cross swine were treated by sc injection of labeled DIMP to measure the efficiency of bioelimination. Additional pigs each received a single percutaneous (pc) exposure of 400, 40, or 4 micrograms/cm2 of labeled DIMP. Absorption through 7 d was measured by the appearance of 14C label in the urine and feces. Tissue specimens, collected at necropsy, were assessed for residual radioactivity. The results showed that between 3 and 7% of cutaneous DIMP was absorbed through 7 d. Urinary elimination accounted for about 95% of the absorbed dose in the first 24 h. No significant tissue deposition was observed. Pigs treated by the sc route excreted nearly 100% of the injected material demonstrating an extremely efficient metabolic process. It was concluded that humans may be expected to absorb less than 10% of an unoccluded single dermal exposure to DIMP. Absorbed dose would likely be metabolized to isopropyl methylphosphonic acid and excreted primarily in the urine within 24 h. Significant evaporation of the material from the open skin surface would be expected to occur.

The influence of different strains and age on in vitro rat skin permeability to water and mannitol

Water and mannitol were used as test penetrants to study the effect of age on the skin permeability of the Wistar-derived Alderley Park (AP) rat and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Whole-skin membranes were prepared from rats aged 10 to 120 days, while epidermal membranes were prepared from rats aged 24 to 32 days. The results indicated that the skin permeabilities of the two strains were very similar for either whole-skin or epidermal membranes. The influence of age on skin permeability was found to be negligible for the AP rat, and a small decrease in whole-skin permeability was observed for SD rats above 80 days of age. A statistically derived expression ("the separation efficiency factor") was used to determine the optimum age for preparing intact epidermal membranes; these were 26 days for AP rats and 28 days for SD rats. Histological examination of whole-skin membranes for both strains revealed that the stratum corneum and epidermal thickness did not alter significantly with age (10 to 120 days old). Dermal thickness, hair follicle depth, and, to a lesser extent, the surface area occupied by hair follicles all appeared to be influenced by age, although these changes had no detectable effect on skin permeability.

Dermal penetration of [14C]captan in young and adult rats

Age dependence in dermal absorption has been a major concern in risk assessment. Captan, a chloroalkyl thio heterocyclic fungicide, was selected for study of age dependence as representative of this class of pesticides. Dermal penetration of [14C]captan applied at 0.286 mumol/cm2 was determined in young (33-d-old) and adult (82-d-old) female Fischer 344 rats in vivo and by two in vitro methods. Dermal penetration in vivo at 72 h was about 9% of the recovered dose in both young and adult rats. The percentage penetration was found to increase as dosage (0.1, 0.5, 2.7 mumol/cm2) decreased. Two in vitro methods gave variable dermal penetration values compared with in vivo results. A static system yielded twofold higher dermal penetration values compared with in vivo results for both young and adult rats. A flow system yielded higher dermal penetration values in young rats and lower penetration values in adults compared with in vivo results. Concentration in body, kidney, and liver was less in young than in adult rats given the same absorbed dosage. A physiological pharmacokinetic model was developed having a dual compartment for the treated skin and appeared to describe dermal absorption and disposition well. From this model, tissue/blood ratios of captan-derived radioactivity for organs were found to range from 0.35 to 3.4, indicating no large uptake or binding preferences by any organ. This preliminary pharmacokinetic model summarizes the experimental findings and could provide impetus for more complex and realistic models.

Oral and dermal application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid sodium and dimethylamine salts to male rats: investigations on absorption and excretion as well as induction of hepatic mixed-function oxidase activities

Absorption and urinary excretion of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid sodium (sodium 2,4-D) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid dimethylammonium (2,4-DMA) salts were examined after single oral and mid-dorsal skin applications of the herbicides to male rats. Doses of 2.6 mg 2,4-D/kg body wt (sodium 2,4-D) and 1.9 mg 2,4-D/kg body wt (2,4-DMA) were applied. Quantitatively, with both salts, most of the orally administered herbicide (over 90%) was excreted in urine within 28 h. However, 2,4-D urinary peak concentrations were measured 4.5 and 20.5 h after dosing with 2,4-DMA and sodium 2,4-D, respectively. Additionally, the volume of urine in the oral study was significantly increased with both salts when compared with the controls or the dermal exposure. After topical application, 2,4-D absorption was much lower than in the oral study. Urinary excretion only reached about 10 and 15% of the applied dose for sodium 2,4-D and 2,4-DMA, respectively, by 5 days post-treatment. Further, we found some elevations in hepatic cytochrome P-450 activities. Ethylmorphine N-demethylase was only slightly induced by the herbicides while ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity was increased nearly 2-fold by sodium 2,4-D.

Laser Doppler measurements of cutaneous blood flow in ageing mice and rats

Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) is a non-invasive technique that measures capillary blood perfusion parameters (blood flow, volume and velocity) and can be used non-invasively to evaluate the effects of ageing on cutaneous blood perfusion. Male Fischer-344 rats (R) of 1, 2, 3, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 months and C57BL/6N mice (M) 1, 2, 3, 9, 15, 19 and 22 months (n = 6/mo) were used. Animals were anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine and LDV-measured blood flow was made on the backs of all animals. Five readings for each parameter were recorded in order to obtain a mean value of the individual. Skin biopsies (4 mm) were removed after LDV for assessing epidermal and dermal thickness and number of epidermal cell layers. The number of viable epidermal layers in M remained constant while in R it decreased with age. Epidermal thickness in both M and R decreased from 2-3 months and then remained constant. Dermal thickness decreased from 3 to 22 months in M, and increased in R from 1 to 2 months and remained constant. Blood flow of M increased between 1 and 2 months, remained constant to 19 months, then increased at 22 months; flow in R was constant except at 2 months. Thus age differences in epidermal and dermal thickness, and blood flow of M and R occur and should be considered when evaluating cutaneous toxicity studies in different-aged animals. These changes may potentially alter dermal absorption and/or distribution of xenobiotics.

Potential exposure and health risks of infants following indoor residential pesticide applications

Air and surface chlorpyrifos residues were measured for 24 hours following a 0.5 percent Dursban broadcast application for fleas inside a residence. Two of the three treated rooms were ventilated following application. Maximum air concentrations were measured 3-7 hours post-application. Peak concentrations in the infant breathing zone were 94 micrograms/m3 in the nonventilated room and 61 micrograms/m3 in the ventilated room, and were substantially higher than concentrations in the sitting adult breathing zone. Concentrations of approximately 30 micrograms/m3 were detected in the infant breathing zone 24 hours post-application. Surface residues available through wipe sampling were 0.7-1.6 micrograms/cm2 of carpet on the day of application and 0.3-0.5 micrograms/cm2 24 hours post-application. Estimated total absorbed doses for infants were 0.08-0.16 mg/kg on the day of application and 0.04-0.06 mg/kg the day following application, with dermal absorption representing approximately 68 percent of the totals. These doses are 1.2-5.2 times the human No Observable Effect Level (NOEL). Exposures to cholinesterase inhibiting compounds following properly conducted broadcast applications could result in doses at or above the threshold of toxicological response in infants, and should be minimized through appropriate regulatory policy and public education.

Mutagenicity of urine from greenhouse workers

The mutagenicity of urine from spray applicators in 12 greenhouses in 1986 has been evaluated. The workers served as their own controls. Urine samples reflecting pesticide exposure were collected at the end of the day of application and a corresponding control sample was collected 3 d later. Using Salmonella typhimurium bacterial tester strains TA98 and TA100 with and without S9 activation, seven workers showed no significant differences (p less than 0.05) in the mutagenicity of their exposed and control urine. Of the five remaining workers, three, who wore no respirators, showed significantly higher (p less than 0.05) concentrations of mutagens in their exposed urine sample as compared to their respective controls. The mutagenicity of certain of the compounds applied by these latter workers is discussed.