Cross-sectional biomonitoring study of pesticide exposures in Queensland, Australia, using pooled urine samples.
A range of pesticides are available in Australia for use in agricultural and domestic settings to control pests, including organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, herbicides, and insect repellents, such as N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). The aim of this study was to provide a cost-effective preliminary assessment of background exposure to a range of pesticides among a convenience sample of Australian residents. De-identified urine specimens stratified by age and sex were obtained from a community-based pathology laboratory and pooled (n = 24 pools of 100 specimens). Concentrations of urinary pesticide biomarkers were quantified using solid-phase extraction coupled with isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Geometric mean biomarker concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 36.8 ng/mL for organophosphate insecticides, <0.1 to 5.5 ng/mL for pyrethroid insecticides, and <0.1 to 8.51 ng/mL for all other biomarkers with the exception of the DEET metabolite 3-diethylcarbamoyl benzoic acid (4.23 to 850 ng/mL). We observed no association between age and concentration for most biomarkers measured but noted a "U-shaped" trend for five organophosphate metabolites, with the highest concentrations observed in the youngest and oldest age strata, perhaps related to age-specific differences in behavior or physiology. The fact that concentrations of specific and non-specific metabolites of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos were higher than reported in USA and Canada may relate to differences in registered applications among countries. Additional biomonitoring programs of the general population and focusing on vulnerable populations would improve the exposure assessment and the monitoring of temporal exposure trends as usage patterns of pesticide products in Australia change over time.
National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia. amy.heffernan@uqconnect.edu.au.|The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia. amy.heffernan@uqconnect.edu.au.
A L
AL
Heffernan
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.|Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
K
K
English
School of Public Health and Social Work and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Lml
L
Toms
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
A M
AM
Calafat
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
L
L
Valentin-Blasini
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology Taringa, Taringa, QLD, Australia.
P
P
Hobson
Australian Government Department of the Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
S
S
Broomhall
Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
R S
RS
Ware
Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
P
P
Jagals
Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
P D
PD
Sly
National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia.
J F
JF
Mueller
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006540:Herbicides / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000652:urine*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011793:Queensland; D055815:Young Adult
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006540:Herbicides; D007302:Insect Repellents; D007306:Insecticides
Biomonitoring; Children; Organophosphate; Pesticides; Pyrethroid; Urine