Assessing Environmental Pesticide Exposures in Chili Farming Communities of Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand Pubblico

Abstract

Pesticides are pervasively used in Thailand to ensure a productive crop yield and to keep the agricultural sector economically competitive in the global food market. With regular application, pesticides tend to enter the watersheds and soils where they persist for long periods of time resulting in community-wide, low-level, chronic pesticide exposure. Children are especially vulnerable to the health risks of chronic pesticide exposures even at low doses since these highly reactive chemicals are very likely to chemically interfere with their early stages of growth and development during in utero and postnatal periods. This study aims to evaluate possible pathways of insecticide exposure and to assess baseline exposures in the community in Ubon Ratchathani farms, most of which are involved in chili production. Our findings indicate that several pesticides are frequently found in the local water systems. Chlorpyrifos appears at higher levels in reservoir and drinking water than in ground water, although not statistically significantly higher. p,p'-DDE is found in all waters at approximately equivalent levels. Most other pesticides were found in 10-78% of the water samples tested. Similarly, urinary metabolites of chlorpyrifos and permethrin metabolites were found in virtually all of the farmer urine samples tested with mean concentrations ranging from 2-5 ng/mL. These data suggest that exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides is pervasive in this farming region of Thailand and that water may be an important pathway of exposure for which mitigation strategies can be implemented.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...1
METHODS...8

Study Design...8

Sample Collection...9
Sample Preparation and Analysis...11
Statistical Analysis...11

RESULTS...12

Water Samples...12
Urine Samples...17

DISCUSSION...22

Water...22
Urine...23
Soil...24

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...25
WORKS CITED...26
APPENDICES...29

Appendix A...29
Appendix B...31

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Environmental Health
Degree	MPH
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Agriculture, General Health Sciences, Occupational Health and Safety Chemistry, Analytical
Parola chiave	Thailand pesticide farmer Ubon Ratchathani insecticide urine agriculture biomarker water environmental exposure chili
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Barr, Dana Boyd, Emory University
Committee Members	Tolbert, Paige, Emory University
Partnering Agencies	Emory University schools, faculty or affiliated programs US (Federal) agency other than CDC University, college or educational institution (other than Emory)

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