TITLE:
Evaluation of Pesticide Residues in Human Blood Samples of Agro Professionals and Non-Agro Professionals
AUTHORS:
Yawar Latif, Syed Tufail Hussain Sherazi, Muhammad Iqbal Bhanger, Shafi Nizamani
KEYWORDS:
Pesticides; Exposure to Population; Blood Samples
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.3 No.8,
August
24,
2012
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.