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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Robin Whyatt, DrPH1, Dana B. Barr, PhD2, David E. Camann, MS3, J R Barr, PhD2, Howard Andrews, PhD4, Patrick Kinney, ScD1, and Frederica Perera, DrPH1. (1) Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, 60 Haven Avenue, B-116, New York, NY 10032, 212-304-7280, rmw5@columbia.edu, (2) Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30341, (3) Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, P.O. Box 28510, San Antonio, TX 78238, (4) New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 47, New York, NY 10032
Residential pesticide use is widespread in the U.S. However, little is known about pesticide exposures among minority women during pregnancy. We have gathered questionnaire data on pesticide use during pregnancy from 316 African American and Dominican women residing in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. Additionally, levels of 9 contemporary-use pesticides were measured in 48-hour personal air samples collected from the mothers (n=166) during the 3rd trimester and in blood samples collected from the mothers (n=142) and newborns (n=155) at delivery. Of the women questioned, 85% report that pest control measures were used during pregnancy; 35% reported their homes were sprayed by an exterminator. Most of the pesticide use was targeted at cockroach control. Use of pest control measures increased significantly with the level of housing disrepair reported. Of the pesticides measured, the organophosphates diazinon and chlorpyrifos and the carbamate propoxur were detected in 100% of the personal air samples (range 0.7-6010 ng/m3) and 57%-97% of blood samples (range 0.3-63 pg/g). Blood and air levels were not correlated. Maternal and newborn blood levels were similar and highly correlated. African Americans had significantly higher levels of propoxur in air and chlorpyrifos and diazinon in blood (maternal and newborn) than Dominicans, controlling for neighborhood of residence. The remaining pesticides were detected less frequently in air and blood. Results show widespread prenatal pesticide use among minority women in this cohort and that the pesticides are readily transferred from mother to the fetus during pregnancy.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Pesticides, Minorities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.