PESTICIDE EXPOSURE IN PREGNANT WOMEN OF SANTA FE: URINARY CONCENTRATIONS OF BIOMARKERS

RACCA ME; CEPEDA PJ; ROSSETTI MF; MILESI MM; VARAYOUD J

Congreso; REUNIÓN CONJUNTA SAIC SAB AAFE AACYTAL 2023; 2023

The exposome represents lifestyle factors, body inner systems and environmental exposure from gestation and throughout life that may affect reproductive health. Epidemiological studies suggest associations between the environmental exposome and adverse reproductive outcomes. However, few have focused their effort on biomonitoring environmental toxicants in pregnant women samples. This study aims to determine which pesticides are present in urine samples of pregnant women residing in the Litoral region. Pregnant women (first, second and third trimesters, aged 18-40) were enrolled at several health care centers from Santa Fe, Reconquista and San Justo. After written informed consent, urine samples were obtained and stored at -20°C until measure. Following the World’s Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for environmental chemicals assessment in human samples, urine samples were excluded when creatinine concentration was outside the range of 30-300 mg/dl. Samples were prepared using Solid Phase Extraction with Oasis HLB Prime cartridges and quantified by Gas Chromatography coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Following WHO recommendations, 26 samples were included in the study and 23 compounds were analyzed. Among them, hexachlorobenzene (0.1-0.2 ppb), vinclozolin (0.1-0.7 ppb) and propazine (0.1-0.2 ppb) were more frequently quantified. Method LOD and LOQ were 0.03 and 0.1 ppb, respectively, for the three compounds quantified. In addition, 85% (22/26) and 58% (15/26) of samples had more than one compound detectable and quantifiable, respectively. Exposures during certain lifetime periods, such as pregnancy, may affect fertility and fetal development. We evidence the importance of chemicals biomonitoring in human samples after detecting several agrochemicals reported to impair human health. This is the first report of biomonitoring pesticides during pregnancy in Argentina. Further analysis will include measures on a bigger pregnant women group of samples.