Herbicides and Adjuvants: An Evolving View

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burroughs B ; Garry VF ; Kesner JS ; Tarone R
• Description:
  The present report examines the in vitro genotoxicity (micronucleus assay) of herbicides and adjuvants and reports on an in vivo human study on potential endocrine effects of pesticides, including herbicides. Adjuvants are used in conjunction with 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and other herbicides. Earlier pesticide applier survey results (n=709) show that 59% of the applicators used adjuvants, and the majority of this group used paraffinic oils and/or surfactant mixtures. As a beginning effort to explore the role of adjuvants and herbicides in hormonally based reproductive effects, a prospective, controlled study was performed to analyze blood specimens from three different exposure groups (applicators using herbicides only; applicators using both herbicides and insecticides; and applicators using fumigants in addition to herbicides and insecticides; and a control group composed of other agricultural workers including organic farmers). The applicators and controls were age- and smoking-matched. Study subjects (n=78) were tested before, during, and after completion of pesticide application season for the effects of pesticide products on hormone levels in the bloodstream. Of the applicator exposure groups examined, only the herbicide group showed significant endocrinologic differences from controls. Free testosterone levels were significantly elevated in post-season measurements (p=0.032), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was significantly decreased at the height of the season (p=0.016) and in the post-season (p=0.010) as compared to controls. These endocrinologic findings are discussed in terms of their possible relationship to potential endocrine effects of herbicides, herbicide contaminants, and adjuvants. In vitro genotoxicity examination compared four different commercially available surfactant mixtures with 12 different commercial herbicide products, including six different chlorophenoxy herbicides. Only one herbicide yielded a significant dose-response curve. All four adjuvants showed positive dose-response effects. These preliminary data suggest that adjuvants are not inert but are toxicologically active components added to herbicide mixtures. Whether adjuvant toxicant effects are additive or are independent of herbicide effects is poorly understood. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Age Factors Aging Agriculture Demography Endocrine System Epidemiology Farmers Hazardous Substances Herbicides Insecticides Occupational Health Safety Urogenital Diseases Urogenital System

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• Keywords:
  Age-factors Age-groups Agricultural-chemicals Agricultural-industry Agricultural-workers Demographic-characteristics Genotoxic-effects Hormone-activity Hormones In-vitro-study Insecticide-poisoning Pest-control Pesticides Pesticides-and-agricultural-chemicals Reproductive-effects Reproductive-hazards Toxic-effects Toxic-materials

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• ISSN:
  0748-2337
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Minnesota ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DBBS - Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  159-167
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20027747
• Citation:
  Toxicol Ind Health 1999 Jan-Mar; 15(1-2):159-167
• CAS Registry Number:
  (2,4-Dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (CAS RN 94-75-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1999
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Toxicology and Industrial Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f00f3ecfaf5c8de5969f5c3845783f41f0666367a567fa65323163749439318d39e07083d75fb9d12b162613465eb9af16e57e9c9332658961320c36f8de72a9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197646/cdc_197646_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 116.81 KB ]