Liver Damage among Environmental Disinfestation Workers

Acute and Cumulative Effects of Repeated Exposure to Chlorpyrifos on the Liver and Kidney Function among Egyptian Adolescents

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of research that tracks changes in liver and kidney function among pesticide applicators. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of repeated seasonal exposure to the organophosphorus pesticide, chlorpyrifos, on serum measures of liver and kidney function.

METHODS

Pesticide exposure was assessed by measuring the urinary concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2 pyridinol (TCPy), a specific biomarker for chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos exposure and 8 serum markers of liver and kidney function were measured at 15 timepoints over 3 years prior to, during, and following the end of seasonal pesticide application among adolescent applicators and non-applicators from 4 field stations in Menoufia, Egypt.

RESULTS

Urinary TCPy levels showed increases during the application cycles and recovery at the end of each application season. Altered serum markers of liver and kidney function were associated with chlorpyrifos exposure, with some markers recovering 3 months after the end of exposure each year, while other measures demonstrated progressive increase up to 300% the baseline levels at the end of 3 years.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that frequent assessment of liver and kidney function is a sound practice to evaluate cellular injury following chronic repeated occupational and environmental exposure to chlorpyrifos.

Cytogenetic analysis of Pakistani individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides in a pesticide production industry

Although several cytogenetic biomonitoring studies on workers exposed to pesticides have been reported, there is only limited information on this topic from developing countries where pesticides have been widely used over the years. People in developing countries are at higher risk from exposure, due to poor working conditions and a lack of awareness of the potential hazards during manufacturing and application of the pesticides. The present study has assessed the genotoxic effects of pesticides on workers involved in the pesticide manufacturing industry. Subjects in the exposed group (29) were drawn from workers at a pesticide production plant in district Multan (Pakistan). The control group (unexposed) composed of 35 individuals from the same area but was not involved in pesticide production. Liver enzymes, serum cholinesterase (SChE), micronucleus assay and some haematological parameters were used as biomarkers in this study. A statistically significant (P < 0.001) increase in levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase was detected in exposed workers with respect to the control group. There was a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the level of SChE in the exposed group. Exposed individuals exhibited cytogenetic damage with increased frequencies (P < 0.001) of binucleated cells with micronuclei and total number of micronuclei in binucleated lymphocytes in comparison with subjects of the control group. A decrease (P < 0.001) in cytokinesis block proliferation index similarly demonstrates a genotoxic effect due to pesticide exposure. The results indicate that the pesticide industry workers have experienced significant genotoxic exposure. This study highlights the risk to workers in the pesticide manufacturing industries of developing countries such as Pakistan and the need for implementation of suitable safety measures to prevent/limit exposure to harmful toxins.