Pesticides Exposure In Individual Farmers From A Cocoa Growing Community - New Edubiase

ABSTRACT

Background: Pesticides are used by individuals especially farmers to prevent crop damage by harmful insects or plant pests. In the process of preventing and eradicating pests, individuals are occupationally and environmentally exposed to pesticides. Although pesticides help in preventing crop destruction by pests, they are toxic, and exposure can result in a number of health effects. This study aimed at evaluating pesticide residues in human urine samples of farmers who apply pesticide and a household member who is a farmer but does not apply pesticide from a cocoa growing community at New Edubiase.

Method: An analytical cross-sectional study, with laboratory analysis using GC-ECD, GC-PFPD to detect pesticide residues in urine samples of participants. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the frequency, percentage and median concentrations.

Results: About 59.7% of the participants were farmers who apply pesticides and 40.3% were members of the farmers’ household who were farmers but do not apply pesticide. According to the field survey, pesticides used frequently by the farmers were Bifenthrin, thiamethoxam and, imidacloprid. The major pesticide detected in the urine samples of the participants was chlorpyrifos with a median concentration of 0.349mg/kg (IQR 0.218-0.484). Other pesticide residues detected in the urine samples of the participants were Organophosphate (Dimethoate, Fonofos), Organochlorine (Gamma HCH) and Pyrethroid (Lambda cyhalothrin, Cyfluthrin, Cypermethrin, Bifenthrin). The results presented showed that, there is no statistically significant association in median concentration of pesticides in urine sample among the farmers who apply pesticides and members of the farmers’ household who are farmers but do not apply pesticides.

Conclusion: Pesticides exposure was observed among both farmers who apply pesticide and members of the farmers’ household who are farmers but do not apply pesticide, and the higher

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frequency of existence of chlorpyrifos could be as a result of excessive and frequent usage of pesticides. The study observation shows that Bifenthrin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid are the pesticides mostly used by the farmers; however, results of the laboratory analysis did not confirm their presence in the urine samples of participants.

Keywords: Pesticides, Concentration, Farmers, Urine