Feasibility of hair sampling to assess levels of organophosphate metabolites in rural areas of Sri Lanka

Environ Res. 2016 May:147:207-11. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.011. Epub 2016 Feb 16.

Abstract

Measuring chronic pesticide exposure is important in order to investigate the associated health effects. Traditional biological samples (blood/urine) are difficult to collect, store and transport in large epidemiological studies in settings such as rural Asia. We assessed the acceptability of collecting hair samples from a rural Sri Lankan population and found that this method of data collection was feasible. We also assessed the level of non-specific metabolites (DAPS) of organophosphate pesticides in the hair samples. The median concentration (pg/mg) of each DAP was: diethyl phosphate: 83.3 (IQI 56.0, 209.4); diethyl thiophosphate: 34.7 (IQI 13.8, 147.9); diethyl dithiophosphate: 34.5 (IQI 23.4, 55.2); and dimethyl phosphate: 3 (IQI 3, 109.7). Total diethylphosphates were recovered in >80% of samples and were positively correlated with self-reported pesticide exposure.

Keywords: Chronic exposure; Dialkylphosphates metabolites; Hair; Pesticides; Sri Lanka.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis*
  • Environmental Pollutants / metabolism
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Hair / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Organophosphates / analysis*
  • Organophosphates / metabolism
  • Pesticides / analysis*
  • Pesticides / metabolism
  • Rural Population / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sri Lanka
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Organophosphates
  • Pesticides