Population-based biomonitoring of exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides in New York City

Organophosphates and pyrethroids are the most common classes of insecticides used in the United States. Widespread use of these compounds to control building infestations in New York City (NYC) may have caused higher exposure than in less-urban settings. The objectives of our study were to estimate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental health perspectives 2013-11, Vol.121 (11-12), p.1349-1356
Main Authors: McKelvey, Wendy, Jacobson, J Bryan, Kass, Daniel, Barr, Dana Boyd, Davis, Mark, Calafat, Antonia M, Aldous, Kenneth M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acids
Adult
Age
Air pollution
Biological monitoring
Biological research
Biology, Experimental
Biomonitoring
Carboxylic acids
Categories
Chemicals
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Cross-Sectional Studies
Data collection
Disease control
Environmental Exposure - analysis
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data
Environmental Pollutants - urine
Environmental protection
Estimates
Exposure
Fruits
Health
Humans
Identification and classification
Insecticides
Linear Models
Medical laboratories
Metabolites
Nervous system
New York City - epidemiology
Nutrition
Organophosphates
Organophosphates - urine
Pesticides
Pesticides - urine
Pests
Population
Pyrethrins - urine
Pyrethroids
Reference Values
Reproductive system
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Testing
Urban areas
Urine
Vegetables
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Summary:Organophosphates and pyrethroids are the most common classes of insecticides used in the United States. Widespread use of these compounds to control building infestations in New York City (NYC) may have caused higher exposure than in less-urban settings. The objectives of our study were to estimate pesticide exposure reference values for NYC and identify demographic and behavioral characteristics that predict exposures. The NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was a population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in 2004 among adults ≥ 20 years of age. It measured urinary concentrations of organophosphate metabolites [dimethylphosphate (DMP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), dimethyldithiophosphate, diethylphosphate, diethylthiophosphate, and diethyldithiophosphate] in 883 participants, and pyrethroid metabolites [3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (trans-DCCA), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid, and cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid] in 1,452 participants. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate least-squares geometric mean total dialkylphospate (ΣDAP) and 3-PBA concentrations across categories of predictors. The dimethyl organophosphate metabolites had the highest 95th percentile concentrations (87.4 μg/L and 74.7 μg/L for DMP and DMTP, respectively). The highest 95th percentiles among pyrethroid metabolites were measured for 3-PBA and trans-DCCA (5.23 μg/L and 5.94 μg/L, respectively). Concentrations of ΣDAP increased with increasing age, non-Hispanic white or black compared with Hispanic race/ethnicity, professional pesticide use, and increasing frequency of fruit consumption; they decreased with non-green vegetable consumption. Absolute differences in geometric mean urinary 3-PBA concentrations across categories of predictors were too small to be meaningful. Estimates of exposure to pyrethroids and dimethyl organophosphates were higher in NYC than in the United States overall, underscoring the importance of considering pest and pesticide burdens in cities when formulating pesticide use regulations.
ISSN:0091-6765
1552-9924
DOI:10.1289/ehp.1206015