title: Monitoring of systemic exposure to plant protection products and DNA damage in orchard workers.
abstract: The systemic exposure of plum tree growers and operators to plant protection products (PPPs) and effects on DNA were assessed. Specifically, a GC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the analysis of serum samples for the presence of seven active substances of PPPs. The analytical results verified the presence of myclobutanil, propargite, cypermethrin and deltamethrin in 7 out of 19 serum samples. The incidence of DNA damage was monitored using the single cell electrophoresis assay (comet assay). A paired Student's t-test revealed a statistically significant increase of SSBs in the blood samples collected at the end of the cropping period as compared to the samples collected from the same subjects before the start of PPPs application period. Moreover, the group of seven subjects with detectable serum pesticides levels revealed statistically significant increase of SSBs as compared to the group of subjects with no detectable PPP levels. The results of the present study demonstrate that the agriculture workers may exhibit detectable level of systemic exposure to the applied PPPs which are correlated to increased DNA damage during the cultivation period.
authors: Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos M
authors: KM
authors: Kasiotis
authors: Katerina
authors: K
authors: Kyriakopoulou
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Emmanouil
authors: Nektaria
authors: N
authors: Tsantila
authors: Jyrki
authors: J
authors: Liesivuori
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Souki
authors: Sotiris
authors: S
authors: Manakis
authors: Kyriaki
authors: K
authors: Machera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000097:blood; D010575:Pesticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D010573:Pesticide Residues; D010575:Pesticides