RESUMEN
This study deals with pesticide exposure profile in some European countries with a specific focus on ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (EBDC). In all, 55 Bulgarian greenhouse workers, 51 Finnish potato farmers, 48 Italian vineyard workers, 42 Dutch floriculture farmers, and 52 Bulgarian zineb producers entered the study. Each group was matched with a group of not occupationally exposed subjects. Exposure data were gained through self-administered questionnaires and measuring ethylenethiourea (ETU) in two spot urine samples collected, respectively, before the beginning of seasonal exposure (T0), and after 30 days, at the end of the exposure period (T30). Controls underwent a similar protocol. Study agriculture workers were involved in mixing and loading pesticides, application of pesticide mixture with mechanical or manual equipments, re-entry activities, and cleaning equipments. Chemical workers were involved in synthesis, quality controls, and packing activities. The number of pesticides to whom these subjects were exposed varied from one (zineb production) to eight (potato farmers). The use of personal protective devices was variegate and regarded both aerial and dermal penetration routes. EBDC exposure, assessed by T30 urinary ETU, was found to follow the order: greenhouse workers, zineb producers, vineyard workers, potato farmers, floriculture farmers with median levels of 49.6, 23.0, 11.8, 7.5, and 0.9 microg/g creatinine; the last group having ETU at the same level of controls (approximately 0.5 microg/g creatinine). Among agriculture workers, pesticide application, especially using manual equipment, seems to be the major determinant in explaining internal dose. Although the analysis of self-administered questionnaires evidenced difficulties especially related to lack and/or poor quality of reported data, biological monitoring confirms to be a powerful tool in assessing pesticide exposure.
Asunto(s)
Monitoreo del Ambiente/métodos , Etilenobis(ditiocarbamatos)/envenenamiento , Exposición Profesional/análisis , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto , Agricultura , Bulgaria , Creatina/orina , Monitoreo del Ambiente/estadística & datos numéricos , Etilenotiourea/análisis , Femenino , Finlandia , Humanos , Italia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Países Bajos , Exposición Profesional/efectos adversos , Ocupaciones/clasificación , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Medición de Riesgo/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
Ethylenebisdithiocarbamates are widely used as fungicides in agriculture. Although EBDC's have a low acute toxicity, they are suspected to have immune effects at low doses. However, little human studies on these effects have been published. In the Netherlands, a study was conducted among pesticide exposed workers aimed at evaluating the short-term and long-term immune effects of exposure and the relation between ethylenebisdithiocarbamate and immune effects. Forty-one re-entry workers and 40 nonexposed controls were medically examined; furthermore, immune parameters were determined in blood, and all participants filled in a questionnaire regarding exposure and outcome parameters. The level of ethylenethiourea in urine was determined as indicator of exposure. No relevant adverse immune effects were found in the pesticide exposed workers compared with the nonexposed controls. Also no exposure response relationship between immune effects and ethylenebisdithiocarbamate in urine was found. This finding might be due to very low exposure levels of the re-entry work but might also be due to a lack of immunotoxicity of ethylenebisdithiocarbamate at normal exposure levels.
Asunto(s)
Etilenobis(ditiocarbamatos)/envenenamiento , Fungicidas Industriales/envenenamiento , Sistema Inmunológico/efectos de los fármacos , Exposición Profesional/análisis , Adulto , Agricultura , Escolaridad , Etilenobis(ditiocarbamatos)/orina , Etilenotiourea/análisis , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Fungicidas Industriales/orina , Humanos , Sistema Inmunológico/fisiopatología , Inmunidad/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Países Bajos , Exposición Profesional/efectos adversos , Estudios Prospectivos , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
This epidemiological study was carried out to evaluate the possible association between occupational exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (EDBC) and allergy. The study was conducted in four countries in the European Union: The Netherlands, Finland, Italy and Bulgaria. A total of 248 workers exposed to EDBC and 231 non-occupationally exposed subjects entered the study. Exposure to EDBC was measured as urinary ethylenethiourea (ETU) in urinary samples collected at baseline and after 30 days of exposure. Several effect parameters were evaluated including questionnaire data on allergy, Phadiatop, a general allergy test, and specific IgE parameters. These data were also collected at baseline and after 30 days of exposure. Cross-sectional as well as longitudinal comparisons were made, adjusted for potential confounding factors. No association was found between exposure status, EDBC levels and allergic contact dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, food allergy or atopy as measured by the Phadiatop. The prevalence of skin irritation was elevated in the Dutch field study only and is more likely a result of plant contact rather than EDBC exposure. Occupational exposure to sunlight was noted to have a protective effect on atopy in terms of IgE positivity. We conclude that the EDBC exposure levels experienced in our field study are not associated with increased prevalence of allergic symptoms or allergy.