ABSTRACT
Background: Past studies have suggested that early exposure of farm children to chronic pesticides were likely to establish genotoxic risk that might lead to cancerous cell development later during their adulthood (if not repaired properly). Objective: This review aims to fill the knowledge gap concerning the genotoxic effect on the rural community in a farming village from exposure to a mixture of pesticides. Results: This review paper shows substantial evidence that farmers were vulnerable to pesticide exposure, however, limited evidence shows that children are at an increased or equivalent risk in terms of the genotoxic effect when considering their exposure to the contaminated environment. Conclusion: This paper summarizes the existing state of knowledge concerning the genotoxic effects from pesticide exposure among farmers and their children, and highlights the genotoxic effect of pesticides as a health risk for future studies.
ABSTRACT
Objective: The widespread use of organophosphate (OP) insecticides in paddy fields has led to human exposure. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between blood cholinesterase concentrations with the children’s learning ability in the agricultural village of Tanjung Karang, Selangor. Methods: Seventy-seven primary school children who live less than approximately 1km from paddy fields were selected as the exposed group, while another 62 primary schoolchildren who live more than 1 km away from the agriculture site served as the unexposed group. The questionnaires were completed by the parents. The children’s capillary blood was collected using the finger prick technique to determine the blood cholinesterase concentrations using a cholinesterase test kit (Lovibond, AF267, Tintometer Ltd., UK). The McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities (MSCA) were used to determine the learning ability of these children. Results: There were significant differences (p<0.05) in blood cholinesterase and all scales in the MSCA between the exposed and the unexposed group. There were significant associations between the blood cholinesterase concentrations and learning ability by all scales in the MSCA (p<0.05). The variable that significantly influenced the blood cholinesterase was gender (p=0.008). Blood cholinesterase was the most significant influencing factor on the learning ability, especially on the motor scale (p=0.002). Conclusion: Blood cholinesterase concentrations were significantly higher and had a significant relationship with the learning ability of the exposed group, especially the motor performance.
ABSTRACT
This paper aims to investigate the potential pesticide dermal contamination among the agricultural community by observing the microenvironmental and macroactivity interaction between farm children and adult farmer. A 24 hours timeline activity was observed and recorded in the agricultural farming village, Kuala Selangor. In this study, 2 homes were monitored for 2 days following a pesticide application. A total of 2 adult farmers and 5 children (7-10 year old) were recruited to participate in this study. Twenty-four hour videotape segments and time-activity diaries were collected during the study. The microenvironment and macroactivity interaction were modelled in this study. By considering only the potential dermal exposure pathway, the different biological vulnerability and exposure pattern to pesticides were observed. Finding showed a greater extent of interaction between human and its environment, where adult farmers are the main contributor of environmental contaminants, and children is one of the vulnerable receivers of the contaminants’ residuals from the environment. The daily activities and behaviors practiced by the agricultural community were among the contributing factors which help to highlight the pesticide dermal contamination pathway in the farming village. This study recommends the necessary to consider the microenvironment and macroactivity of the target community when assess their exposure levels to the environment contaminants.