title: Occupational exposure of farm workers to pesticides: biochemical parameters and evaluation of genotoxicity.
abstract: To assess the effects of exposure to complex mixtures of pesticides in farm workers from two communities from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, we evaluated the activities of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) enzymes, hematological, lipid parameters, and genotoxicity using two tests to detect DNA damage, the Comet assay in peripheral blood leukocytes and the micronucleus (MN) test in oral mucosa cells. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), age and smoke habits were considered in the analysis. There was a significant decrease in the BChE and ALA-D activities in farm workers (n=37) relative to the control group (n=20) (P< or =0.05 and P< or =0.001, respectively). The Comet assay in peripheral blood leukocytes showed that the Damage index and Damage frequency observed in the exposed group were significantly higher in relation to the controls (P< or =0.001, and P< or =0.05, respectively). No differences were detected regarding the hematological parameters, lipids profile, and MN frequencies. In addition, no significant differences were observed between younger (< or =38 years) and older subjects (>38 years), or between smokers and non-smokers within the groups, either by Comet assay or MN test. However, the use of PPE seems to be important in the prevention of contamination, as suggested by BChE levels and Comet assay results.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões (URI), Erechim, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Pértile
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Remor
authors.forename: Carla Caprini
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Totti
authors.forename: Dariele Alves
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Gustavo Pimentel
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.forename: Vanina Dahlström
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Heuser
authors.forename: Jane Marlei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D001938:Brazil; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood*; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D010575:Pesticides; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase