Evaluation of Pesticide Residues in Human Blood Samples of Agro Professionals and Non-Agro Professionals

Yawar Latif, Syed Tufail Hussain Sherazi, Muhammad Iqbal Bhanger, Shafi Nizamani

National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan.
National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.4236/ajac.2012.38077                

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pesticide residues in human blood samples of volunteers related to Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas districts, Pakistan. The volunteers of both districts were divided into four groups on the basis of their exposure period to pesticides i.e. Group A-5 to 9 years, Group B-10 to 14 years, Group C-15 to19 years and Group D-above 20 years. Out of total 188 volunteers, 145 volunteers (77.1%) were agro–professionals and 43 volun- teers (32.9%) were non–agro professionals. Chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, 1, 1, 1-trichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chorophenyl) ethane (p,p'-DDT) and parathion residues were detected in many samples. The predominant pesticides found in blood samples of both district volunteers were chlorpyrifos (with highest mean concentration of 0.37 mg kg^-1 in the D group of Mirpurkhas) and endosulfan (with highest mean concentration of 0.30 mg kg^-1 in the D group of Hyderabad). The quantity of pesticide residues detected in some blood samples of agro-professionals were found to be at the alarming level.

Keywords

Pesticides; Exposure to Population; Blood Samples

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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