8 research outputs found
Urinary biomarkers of exposure to insecticides, herbicides, and one insect repellent among pregnant women in Puerto Rico
Abstract
Background
There are potential adverse health risks to the mother and fetus from exposure to pesticides. Thus, studies of exposure to pesticides among pregnant women are of interest as they will assist with understanding the potential burden of exposure globally, identifying sources of exposure, and designing epidemiology studies.
Methods
We measured urinary concentrations of the insect repellent N-N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) and two of its metabolites [3-diethyl-carbamoyl benzoic acid (DCBA) and N,N-diethyl-3-hydroxymethylbenzamide (DHMB)], four pyrethroid insecticide metabolites [4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4-F-3-PBA); 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA); trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (trans-DCCA); and cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis-DBCA)], and two chlorophenoxy herbicides [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T)] in 54 pregnant women from Puerto Rico at three separate time points (20 ± 2 weeks, 24 ± 2 weeks, and 28 ± 2 weeks of gestation). We calculated the distributions of the biomarker concentrations and compared them to those of women of reproductive age from the general U.S. population where available, and estimated the within-subject temporal variability of these repeated measurements. We also collected questionnaire data on demographics, consumption of select fruits, vegetables, and legumes in the past 48-hr, and pest-related issues, and associations between these variables and biomarker concentrations were examined.
Results
We found that 95th percentile urinary concentrations of DEET, 3-PBA, trans-DCCA, and 2,4-D were lower than women of reproductive age on the U.S. mainland, whereas 95th percentile urinary concentrations of 4-F-3-PBA, cis-DBCA, and 2,4,5-T were similar. DCBA, the only urinary biomarker detected in >50% of the samples, showed fair to good reproducibility across pregnancy (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.60). Women were more likely (p <0.05) to have greater urinary concentrations of pesticide biomarkers if they were less educated (DCBA and trans-DCCA), unemployed (DHMB), or married (2,4-D), had consumed collards or spinach in past 48-hr (2,4-D) or had been using insect repellent since becoming pregnant (DCBA), or were involved with residential applications of pesticides (trans-DCCA).
Conclusions
We identified concentrations and predictors of several pesticides among pregnant women in Puerto Rico. Further research is needed to understand what aspects of the predictors identified lead to greater exposure, and whether exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse health.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109451/1/12940_2014_Article_800.pd
Urinary Phthalate Metabolite Associations with Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Across Pregnancy in Puerto Rico
Phthalate exposure
during pregnancy has been linked to adverse
birth outcomes such as preterm birth, and inflammation and oxidative
stress may mediate these relationships. In a prospective cohort study
of pregnant women recruited early in gestation in Northern Puerto
Rico, we investigated the associations between urinary phthalate metabolites
and biomarkers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein, IL-1ÎČ,
IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, and oxidative stress, including 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine
(OHdG) and 8-isoprostane. Inflammation biomarkers were measured in
plasma twice during pregnancy (<i>N</i> = 215 measurements, <i>N</i> = 120 subjects), and oxidative stress biomarkers in urine
were measured three times (<i>N</i> = 148 measurements, <i>N</i> = 54 subjects) per woman. In adjusted linear mixed models,
metabolites of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) were associated with
increased IL-6 and IL-10 but relationships were generally not statistically
significant. All phthalates were associated with increases in oxidative
stress markers. Relationships with OHdG were significant for DEHP
metabolites as well as mono-<i>n</i>-butyl phthalate (MBP)
and monoiso-butyl phthalate (MiBP). For 8-isoprostane, associations
with nearly all phthalates were statistically significant and the
largest effect estimates were observed for MBP and MiBP (49â50%
increase in 8-isoprostane with an interquartile range increase in
metabolite concentration). These relationships suggest a possible
mechanism for phthalate action that may be relevant to a number of
adverse health outcomes
Distribution, Variability, and Predictors of Urinary Concentrations of Phenols and Parabens among Pregnant Women in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has higher rates of a
range of endocrine-related diseases
and disorders compared to the United States. However, little is known
to date about human exposures to known or potential endocrine disrupting
chemicals (EDCs) in Puerto Rico. We recruited 105 pregnant women in
Northern Puerto Rico who provided urine samples and questionnaire
data at three times (18 ± 2, 22 ± 2, and 26 ± 2 weeks)
during gestation. We measured the urinary concentrations of five phenols
and three parabens: 2,4-dichlorophenol (24-DCP), 2,5-dichlorophenol
(25-DCP), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan (TCS),
butyl paraben (B-PB), methyl paraben (M-PB), and propyl paraben (P-PB).
The frequent detection of these chemicals suggests that exposure is
highly prevalent among these Puerto Rican pregnant women. Urinary
concentrations of TCS, BP-3, and 25-DCP were higher than among women
of reproductive age in the US general population, while concentrations
of BPA, 24-DCP, and parabens were similar. Intraclass correlation
coefficients (ICC) varied widely between biomarkers; BPA had the lowest
ICC (0.24) and BP-3 had the highest (0.62), followed by 25-DCP (0.49)
and TCS (0.47). We found positive associations between biomarker concentrations
with self-reported use of liquid soap (TCS), sunscreen (BP-3), lotion
(BP-3 and parabens), and cosmetics (parabens). Our results can inform
future epidemiology studies and strategies to reduce exposure to these
chemicals or their precursors