Residential Proximity to Greenhouse Crops and Pesticide Exposure (via Acetylcholinesterase Activity) Assessed from Childhood Through Adolescence

Details

• Personal Author:
  Checkoway, Harvey ; de la Cruz F ; Jacobs DR Jr. ; Kayser G ; López-Paredes D ; Nazeeh N ; Suarez-Lopez JR ; Suárez-Torres J
• Description:
  Background: Children living near greenhouse agriculture may have an increased risk of pesticide exposure due to drift or direct contact with pesticide-treated areas. However, little is known about whether this increased potential for chronic exposure may impair their neurodevelopment. Methods: We examined 307 children aged 4-9 years, living in agricultural communities in Ecuador (ESPINA study). The two exposures calculated were residential distance from the nearest flower plantation perimeter and flower plantation surface area within 100 m of homes. Five neurobehavioral domains were assessed: Attention/Inhibitory Control, Memory/Learning, Visuospatial processing and Sensorimotor (higher values reflect better performance). Low scores were defined according to the test's cut-offs. Models were adjusted for demographic, socio-economic and growth variables. Results: The mean (SD) residential distance to the nearest flower plantation was 446 m (344). Living 100 m closer to crops was associated with increased odds (OR [95% CI]) of low scores in the domains of Memory/Learning (1.24 [1.05, 1.46]) and Language (1.09 [1.00, 1.19]). Associations were strongest among children living within 50 m, having significantly lower scores in Language (-1.28 which is approx. 50% of a SD [-2.50, -0.06]), Attention/Inhibitory Control (-1.24 units, [-2.45, -0.04]), and Memory/Learning (-0.91, [-1.99, 0.17]), compared to children living farther than 500 m. Analyses of areas of flower crops near homes concurred with these findings. Conclusions: Close residential proximity to greenhouse floricultural crops was associated with adverse neurobehavioral performance in Attention/Inhibitory Control, Language and Memory/Learning among children. This highlights the importance of reducing pesticide drift from plantations to nearby homes. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Environmental Exposure Insecticides Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Acetylcholinesterase Adolescents Area Author Keywords: Pesticide Drift Carbamate Children Ecuador Environmental Exposure Longitudinal Study Organophosphate Pesticides And Agricultural Chemicals Residential Proximity

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• ISSN:
  0013-9351
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Minnesota ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  188
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061456
• Citation:
  Environ Res 2020 Sep; 188:109728
• Contact Point Address:
  Jose R. Suarez-Lopez, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0725, La Jolla, CA 92093-0725, USA
• Email:
  jrsuarez@health.ucsd.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• Performing Organization:
  University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20070930
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Research
• End Date:
  20090531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cf089cc052c396dbe423051527a5062c7e1ad8394dbb90214ddf7eaaec219c9df9d555bfc21d2995fd22f6bbf7d5c034906eda42e7d53b44b039806709dd6224
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224986/cdc_224986_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 951.32 KB ]