title: Investigation of gastrointestinal effects of organophosphate and carbamate pesticide residues on young children.
abstract: This prospective study was designed to investigate whether there is any association between gastrointestinal effects and pesticide residue exposure (as measured by metabolite levels in urine and faecal samples) in young children and to describe background levels of pesticide residues in samples from healthy children in the UK. Children (N=136) between the ages of 1.0 and 4.2 years were recruited. Of these, 107 provided background baseline samples and 26 provided samples when suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms. Urine samples (from all populations) were positive for (non-specific) carbaryl metabolite (urine 19/78, faeces 9/99), organophosphate metabolites (urine 103/135, faeces 47/111) and pirimicarb metabolite (urine 72/175, faeces 45/135). There were no statistically significant differences between samples from children when healthy or unwell. The urinary 95th percentile values for the healthy population of young children in this study were 31 nmol/l (carbaryl metabolite), 2156 nmol/l (total organophosphate metabolites) and 139 nmol/l (pirimicarb metabolite). In this study, samples from children suffering gastrointestinal symptoms were no more associated with anti-cholinergic pesticide metabolite levels or rotaviral infection than samples from healthy children. Background levels of anti-cholinergic pesticide metabolites in healthy UK children were in agreement with previously reported levels from the US and Germany.
authors.affiliation: Health & Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: kate.jones@hsl.gsi.gov.uk.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Children's Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Everard
authors.affiliation: Health & Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A-H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Harding
mesh_terms: D002219:Carbamates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012721:Carbaryl / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D002219:Carbamates; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D010755:Organophosphates; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D011722:Pyrethrins; D011743:Pyrimidines; C011994:pirimicarb; D012721:Carbaryl
keywords: Anticholinergic; Biomonitoring; Carbamates; Children; Gastrointestinal; Organophosphates