Validation of Exposure Indexes to Pesticides Through the Analysis of Exposure and Effect Biomarkers in Ground Pesticide Applicators from Argentina

FILIPPI, IOHANNA; LUCERO, PATRICIA A.; BONANSEA, ROCÍO I.; LERDA, DANIEL; BUTINOF, MARIANA; FERNANDEZ, RICARDO A.; WUNDERLIN, DANIEL A.; AMÉ, MARÍA V.; MUÑOZ, SONIA EDITH

HELIYON

Cell Press

Año: 2021 vol. 7 p. 7921 - 7921

2405-8440

The characterization of the population exposed to pesticides and the use of effective biomarkers to evaluate potential health effects are determinant to identify vulnerable groups, understanding the causality of diverse pathologies and propose prevention policies. This is particularly important in countries where intensive agricultural practices had an explosive expansion in last decades. The aim of this study was assessing the usefulness of two exposure indexes questionnaire-based: Intensity Level of the pesticide Exposure (ILE) and Cumulative Exposure Index (CEI) and their scales, in terrestrial applicators of pesticide from the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). The analysis was performed contrasting ILE and CEI results with perceived symptomatology, in addition to effect and exposure biomarkers. A case-control study was designed to compare pesticides body burdens and effect biomarkers between subjects occupationally (OE) and non-occupationally exposed (NOE) to pesticides. Prevalence of perceived symptomatology and genotoxicity damage was higher in the OE group. The exposure condition was the only variable explaining these differences. Significant associations were found between CEI and neurologic symptomatology (p