title: Chronic dietary exposure to pesticide residues and associated risk in the French ELFE cohort of pregnant women.
abstract: Dietary exposure to pesticide residues may present a risk to public health, especially for sensitive populations such as pregnant women. To characterize this risk, this study assessed chronic dietary exposure to pesticide residues based on the French ELFE cohort. A self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) about the last three months of pregnancy filled in by pregnant women in 2011 was used in combination with occurrence data from French Total Diet Studies completed by the results of national monitoring programs on pesticide residues in food. The dietary intake of pesticides (μg/kg of body weight/day) was estimated for 14,099 pregnant women with a complete FFQ, for 317 substances under two occurrence scenarios to handle left-censored data: a lower-bound scenario (LB), where undetected results were set to zero, and an upper-bound scenario (UB), where undetected results were set to the detection limit if the substance was expected to be found in food and zero if it was not. The risk was assessed for 284 substances with a toxicological reference value (TRV) and a good coverage level of the diet potentially contributing to pesticide intake. The cumulative risk was also assessed for seven effects on nervous and thyroid systems using the hazard index and the Cumulative Assessment Groups defined by EFSA. Substances with the highest exposure levels under the LB scenario were, in decreasing order, imazalil, piperonyl butoxide, chlorpropham, thiabendazole, iprodione and propargite. Under the LB scenario, only for lindane did women have a statistically significant probability of exceeding the TRV (2.4%). Under the UB scenario, risk could not be excluded for nine other substances. A better management of left-censored data and more sensitive analyses of the main food contributors might help to refine the UB exposure and risk assessments. A statistically significant cumulative risk was found for neurochemical effects related to high intake levels of three organophosphate insecticides (chlorpyrifos, pirimiphos-methyl and dimethoate) mainly detected in fruits and cereals.
authors.affiliation: ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Assessment Department, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. Electronic address: erwan.degavelle@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Gavelle
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR 1153 Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Sorbonne Paris City Center (CRESS), ORCHAD Team, Paris, F-75014 France; Paris Descartes University, France.
authors.forename: Blandine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Lauzon-Guillain
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR 1153 Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Sorbonne Paris City Center (CRESS), ORCHAD Team, Paris, F-75014 France; Paris Descartes University, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Aline
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR 1085 IRSET Research Institute in Health, Environment and Occupation, F-35043, Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chevrier
authors.affiliation: ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Assessment Department, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hulin
authors.affiliation: ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Assessment Department, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sirot
authors.affiliation: ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Assessment Department, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merlo
authors.affiliation: ANSES - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Risk Assessment Department, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nougadère
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000074341:Dietary Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues
keywords: Cumulative risk assessment; Dietary exposure; French ELFE cohort; Pesticide residues; Pregnant women; Risk characterization