This study characterized the within- and between-child variability in dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) levels in the urine of 44 children living in an agricultural community in central Washington State in December 1997 and 1999. The goal of this analysis was to investigate these variability components during periods when organophosphate pesticides were and were not actively applied to orchards in t...

The organophosphate pesticides have been used extensively for plant protection; however these chemicals may be toxic to mammals (1,2). Insecticidal action and toxic effect are due to their being potent cholinesterase inhibitors (3,4). Acetylcholine is believed to be the primary transmitter affected by organophosphate insecticides. Although the pesticidal action of organophosphate insecticides h...

Direct, selective, rapid and simple determination of organophosphate pesticides has been achieved by integrating organophosphorus hydrolase with electrochemical and opitical transducers. Organophosphorus hydrolase catalyzes the hydrolysis of a wide range of organophosphate compounds, releasing an acid and an alcohol that can be detected directly. This article reviews development, characterizati...

BACKGROUND Health effects of pesticides are easily diagnosed when acute poisonings occurs, nevertheless, consequences from chronic exposure can only be observed when neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative or oncologic pathologies appear. Therefore, early monitoring of this type of exposure is especially relevant to avoid the consequences of pathologies previously described; especially concerning w...

The Department of Health has recently published a report from the CFS/ME Working Group which concluded that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) should be recognized as a chronic illness. Symptoms consistent with CFS are often reported by people who consider their health has been affected by exposure to pesticides, but the Working Group concluded that this type of exposure is not a common trigger for...

This paper describes bioanalytical methods and biosensors which rely on cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition and can be used to detect and test the toxicity of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate pesticides. Particular attention is given to the combined use of these methods and photothermal detection that has recently led to improved sensitivity and increased sample throughput of ChE bioanalytical as...

Pesticides are chemicals to control a variety of pests that can damage crops and livestock and reduce farm productivity. Organophosphate (OP) compounds are a group of pesticides that includes some of the most toxic chemicals used in agriculture. OP toxicity is due to the ability of these compounds to inhibit an enzyme, acetyl cholinesterase at cholinergic junctions of the nervous system. This r...

pesticides are used extensively in agricultural lands in northern provinces of iran which makes river ecosystems more vulnerable to pesticides pollution. this study was conducted in three river estuaries (babolrud, tajanrud and gorganrud), focusing mainly on the concentration levels of organophosphate pesticides (diazinon, malathion, azinphos-methyl) in the muscle tissue of golden mullet fish, ...

BACKGROUND Organophosphate pesticides are heavily used in agriculture, and adverse associations with respiratory health in occupational settings have been reported. However, most of the evidence comes from studies where there were no biomarkers of exposure and no objective outcome measurement. Non-occupational chronic effects among residents living in agricultural communities are less well desc...

Organophosphate chronic toxicity has been evaluated in this study. Biological screening for organophosphate insecticide-exposed workers is mostly recommended for mixers, loaders, formulators and spraymen. We have studied 17 occupationally exposed persons to pesticides. Using Ellman's colorimetric method, their plasma cholinesterase activities have been measured. Results show that the appear...