Grantee Research Project Results
2000 Progress Report: Ingestion of Pesticides by Children in an Agricultural Community on the U.S./Mexico Border
EPA Grant Number: R827440Title: Ingestion of Pesticides by Children in an Agricultural Community on the U.S./Mexico Border
Investigators: Shalat, Stuart L. , Donnelly, Kirby C. , Freeman, Natalie C.G.
Institution: Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2002 (Extended to March 31, 2003)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Project Amount: $710,231
RFA: Children's Vulnerability to Toxic Substances in the Environment (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health
Objective:
The objectives of the project are to:
1. Develop an observational model of pesticide exposure in children (ages 6 to 48 months) living in a rural agricultural setting utilizing objective measures of pesticides on children's hands and characterization of frequency and sequencing of four behaviors (hand to mouth, hand to object, hand to surface, and object to mouth).
2. Identify, measure, and quantify the age-related differences in behaviors in this population.
3. Compare use of objective levels of pesticides on hands with objective levels of pesticides in house dust as estimators of exposure and compare both to objective measures of pesticide metabolites in urine.
4. Determine the possible influence of hygiene practices and nutritional status on uptake of the pesticides found in these children's environment.
5. Reevaluate existing dermal and ingestion models of pesticide exposure by comparison with models developed in this study.
Progress Summary:
An environmental measurement and correlation study is being conducted in the vicinity of Laredo, TX, in the colonia of Rio Bravo. Rio Bravo is located in the mid Rio Grande Valley, right on the Rio Grande and the U.S./Mexico border. More than 95 percent of the population in this community is Mexican-American. Subjects have been recruited from residents of Rio Bravo. The target enrollment for the study is for 60 children from 30 residences to be recruited. Ages of subjects to be between 6 and 48 months at time of enrollment for participation in the study. The children will be followed longitudinally for 24 months, thus allowing observation of children across two developmental stages, which based upon previous studies exhibit distinctly different hand-mouth behavior patterns. Environmental samples are being taken from the major play areas within each child's home. Observations of children's behavior are being made and quantified to evaluate the possible ingestion of pesticides from the environment. In Table 1, a list of the pesticides that were included in the laboratory analysis is provided.Table 1. Pesticides Analyzed
| 1) Demoton O | 9) Malathion |
| 2) Demoton S | 10) Chlorpyrifos |
| 3) Fonofos | 11) Ethion |
| 4) Diazinon | 12) Azinphos-methyl |
| 5) Disulfoton | 13) Simazine |
| 6) Parathion-methyl | 14) Atrazine |
| 7) Parathion-ethyl | 15) Chlordane |
| 8) Fenithrothion | 16) DDT |
The first year of the study concluded on September 30, 2000. The total number of households enrolled was 28, the original target was 30; a total of 52 children have been enrolled, and the original target was 60. The number of pesticide samples collected to date is as follows: 103 hand rinses, 54 house dusts, 52 urines, 8 soils. Pesticide analysis for house dust, hand rinses, and soil was carried out at a contract laboratory in College Station, TX. Analysis of urine samples is being carried out at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (results pending). Levels of detection for organophosphates and triazines was 0.5 mg and for organochlorines 0.5 ng.
Future Activities:
The currently enrolled children will be followed longitudinally and three additional rounds of pesticide measurement of the children and their environments will be carried out. During Year 2 of the project, two of the three additional rounds of pesticide measurement will take place. Laboratory analysis of these additional two rounds of sampling and the urine samples from the first round of testing will be completed. Correlations between the environmental samples, as well as the changes that occur in behavior and exposure over time will be assessed.Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
children, exposure, house dust, pesticides, U.S./Mexico Border., RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Geographic Area, Waste, Toxics, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Health Risk Assessment, Fate & Transport, pesticides, Risk Assessments, genetic susceptability, Environmental Chemistry, Children's Health, Bioavailability, US Mexico Boarder, Ecology and Ecosystems, sensitive populations, organophosphate pesticides, pesticide exposure, exposure factor metrics, hispanics, behavioral assessment, human exposure, agricultural community, dermal contact, U.S. Mexico Border, fate and transport, exposure, children, children's vulnerablity, air pollution, assessment of exposure, hygiene practicesRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.