Determination of the Residue Levels of Some Commonly Used Organophosphorus Pesticides in Breast Milk

Abstract

Objectives: There is limited data on levels of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in humans, but no previous reports from Turkey on chemically determined levels of OPP residues in human milk are present. The aim of this study is to determinate and to report the presence of residues of OPPs, which are frequently used in fruit production in the study area (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, ethion, parathion methyl and dichlorvos) in breast milk.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, breast milk samples were collected from 100 women living in intense fruit production area (agricultural area, n:50), and resided in provincial center (urban area, n:50), selected by random sampling method. High resolution analyses were performed by a gas chromatography (GC).

Results: Dichlorvos residue was detected in breast milk of 17% of study group. The rate of pesticide residue detection was especially high in breast milk of women with a farmer spouse; always/frequently applying pesticides to the plants, actively working in agriculture pesticide preparation and pesticide application (p<0.05). 

Conclusion: Pesticide residues were detected in breast milk and this showed the necessity of raising consciousness among women living in the study area and near areas of pesticide application about avoiding exposure to pesticides, especially during pregnancy and breast feeding periods. 

Keywords

• Pesticide residues,breast milk,organophosphorus

Bazı Sık Kullanılan Organofosfatlı Pestisitlerin Anne Sütünde Kalıntılarının Belirlenmesi

Abstract

Amaç: İnsanlarda organofosfatlı (OPP) pestisitlerin kalıntı seviyeleri ile ilgili sınırlı veri vardır, Türkiye’de de anne sütündeki kalıntı seviyeleri ile ilgili olarak çalışmalar oldukça azdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Isparta bölgesinde meyve üretiminde sık kullanılan OPP’lı pestisitlerin (Klorpyrifos, diazinon, etiyon, paratiyon metil ve diklorvos) anne sütünde var olup olmadıklarının tespit edilmesidir.

Materyal ve Metot: Bu kesitsel çalışmada, yoğun meyve üretimi yapılan alanda (kırsal alan, n=50) ve şehir merkezinde yaşayan (kentsel alan n=50) rastgele örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen toplam 100 kadından anne sütü numuneleri alındı. Analizler yüksek çözünürlüklü gaz kromatografi cihazında yapıldı.

Bulgular: Çalışma grubunun % 17’sinde diklorvos kalıntıları tespit edildi. Pestisit kalıntılarının tespit düzeyi çiftçi eşlerinde, her zaman/sık pestisit uygulayıcılarında ve pestisitlerin hazırlanmasında aktif rol alanlarda daha yüksekti (p<0,05). 

Sonuç: Anne sütünde pestisit kalıntıları tespit edilmesi, çalışma alanında ve pestisit uygulamalarının yapıldığı bölgelere yakın alanlarda yaşayan kadınların özellikle hamilelik ve emzirme dönemlerinde maruziyetten kaçınmaları konusunda bilinçlendirilme gerekliliğini göstermiştir.

Keywords

• pestisit kalıntıları,anne sütü,organofosfat

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