http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/35553 Sat, 25 May 2013 04:21:47 GMT 2013-05-25T04:21:47Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50670 Title: Chronic Pesticide Poisoning from Persistent Low-dose Exposures in Ecuadorean Floriculture Workers: Toward Validating a Low-cost Test Battery Authors: Breilh, Jaime; Pagliccia, Nino; Yassi, Annalee Abstract: Chronic pesticide poisoning is difficult to detect. We sought to develop a low-cost test battery for settings such as Ecuador’s floriculture industry. First we had to develop a case definition; as with all occupational diseases a case had to have both sufficient effective dose and associated health effects. For the former, using canonical discriminant analysis we found that adding measures of protection and overall environmental stressors to occupational category and duration of exposure was useful. For the latter, factor analysis suggested three distinct manifestations of pesticide poisoning. We then determined sensitivity and specificity of various combinations of symptoms and simple neurotoxicity tests from the Pentox questionnaire, and found that doing so increased sensitivity and specificity compared to use of acethylcholinesterase alone—the current screening standard. While sensitivity and specificity varied with different case definitions, our results support the development of a low-cost test battery for screening in such settings. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50670 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50246 Title: Indigenous children living nearby plantations with chlorpyrifos-treated bags have elevated 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy) urinary concentrations Authors: Wendel de Joodea, Berna van; Barraza, Douglas; Ruepert, Clemens; Mora, Ana María; Córdoba, Leonel Abstract: Background The US Environmental Protection Agency voluntary phased-out residential use of chlorpyrifos in 2001. In contrast, in Costa Rica, chlorpyrifos-treated bags are increasingly used to protect banana and plantain fruits from insects and to fulfill product standards, even in populated areas. Objectives To evaluate children's exposure to chlorpyrifos in villages situated nearby banana plantations and plantain farms in Costa Rica. Methods The study targeted two villages with use of chlorpyrifos-treated bags in nearby banana plantations and plantain farms and one village with mainly organic production. For 140 children from these villages, mostly indigenous Ngäbe and Bribri, parent-interviews and urine samples (n=207) were obtained. Urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy) levels were measured as a biomarker for chlorpyrifos exposure. In the banana and plantain village also environmental contamination to chlorpyrifos was explored. Results Children from the banana and plantain villages had statistically significant higher urinary TCPy concentrations than children from the referent village; 2.6 and 2.2 versus 1.3 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Chlorpyrifos was detected in 30% of the environmental samples as well as in 92% of the hand/foot wash samples. For more than half of the children their estimated intake exceeded the US EPA chronic population adjusted dose. For some, the acute population adjusted dose and the chronic reference dose were also exceeded. Conclusions Our results suggest that children living nearby plantations with chlorpyrifos-treated bags are exposed to chlorpyrifos levels that may affect their health. Interventions to reduce chlorpyrifos exposure are likely to improve children's health and environment in banana and plantain growing regions. Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50246 2012-08-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50245 Title: Pesticide use in banana and plantain production and risk perception among local actors in Talamanca, Costa Rica Authors: Barraza, Douglas; Jansen, Kees; Wendel de Joode, Berna van; Wesseling, Catharina Abstract: The Talamanca County in Costa Rica has large-scale banana and small-scale plantain production, probably causing pesticide exposure in indigenous children. We explored to what extent different community actors are aware of children's pesticide hazards and how their awareness related to socio-economical and cultural conditions. Methods comprised eight focus groups with fathers and mothers separately, 27 semi-structured interviews to key actors, and field observations. As a whole, the indigenous plantain farmers and banana plantation workers had some general knowledge of pesticides concerning crop protection, but little on acute health effects, and hardly any on exposure routes and pathways, and chronic effects. People expressed vague ideas about pesticide risks. Inter-community differences were related to pesticide technologies used in banana and plantain production, employment status on a multinational plantation versus smallholder status, and gender. Compared to formalized practices on transnational company plantations, where workers reported to feel protected, pesticide handling by plantain smallholders was not perceived as hazardous and therefore no safety precautions were applied. Large-scale monoculture was perceived as one of the most important problems leading to pesticide risks in Talamanca on banana plantations, and also on neighboring small plantain farms extending into large areas. Plantain farmers have adopted use of highly toxic pesticides following banana production, but in conditions of extreme poverty. Aerial spraying in banana plantations was considered by most social actors a major determinant of exposure for the population living nearby these plantations, including vulnerable children. We observed violations of legally established aerial spraying distances. Economic considerations were most mentioned as the underlying reason for the pesticide use: economic needs to obtain the production quantity and quality, and pressure to use pesticides by other economic agents such as middlemen. Risk perceptions were modulated by factors such as people's tasks and positions in the production process, gender, and people's possibilities to define their own social conditions (more fatalistic perceptions among banana workers). The challenge for the future is to combine these insights into improved health risk assessment and management that is culturally adequate for each particular community and agricultural context. Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/50245 2011-07-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49778 Title: Diffusion of environmental health information : the role of sex- and gender-differentiated pathways Authors: Saint-Charles, Johanne; Rioux-Pelletier, Marie Eve; Mongeau, Pierre; Mertens, Frédéric Description: Part of "What a difference sex and gender make : a gender, sex and health research casebook"; Library has French version: Diffusion d’informations en santé environnementale: le rôle des chemins différenciés selon le sexe et le genre Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49778 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49042 Title: Biomarcadores de exposição ao zinco em Amphistegina lessonii (Amphisteginidae, Foraminifera) do Arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha, PE, Brasil Authors: de Freitas Prazeres, Martina Description: Annex I and II are in English; Leader and corresponding author of Annex I and II, Adalto Bianchini; Corresponding author of Annex I and II, Samantha Eslava Martins Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca:80/dspace/handle/10625/49042 2011-02-01T00:00:00Z