A longitudinal investigation of selected pesticide metabolites in urine

Abstract

As part of a longitudinal investigation of environmental exposures to selected chemical contaminants, concentrations of the pesticide metabolites 1-naphthol (1NAP), 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY), malathion dicarboxylic acid (MDA), and atrazine mercapturate (AM) were measured in repeated samples obtained from 80 individuals in Maryland during 1995–1996. Up to six urine samples were collected from each individual at intervals of approximately 8 weeks over a 1-year period (i.e., one sample per participant in each of six cycles). 1NAP (median=4.2 µg/l and 3.3 µg/g creatinine) and TCPY (median=5.3 µg/l and 4.6. µg/g creatinine) were present in over 80% of the samples, while MDA and AM were detected infrequently (6.6% and <1% of samples, respectively). Geometric mean (GM) concentrations of 1NAP in urine did not vary significantly among sampling cycles. In contrast, GM concentrations of TCPY were significantly greater in samples collected during the spring and summer of 1996 than in the preceding fall and winter. Repeated measurements of 1NAP and TCPY from the same individual over time were highly variable. The average range of 1NAP and TCPY concentrations from the same individual were approximately 200% and 50% greater than the respective population mean levels. Geometric mean (GM) TCPY concentrations differed significantly between Caucasian (n=42, GM=5.7 µg/g creatinine) and African-American (n=11, GM=4.0 µg/g) participants and among education levels, but were not significantly different among groups classified by gender, age, or household income. In future research, environmental measurements of the parent compounds and questionnaire data collected concurrently with the biomarker data will be used to characterize the determinants of variability in the urinary pesticide metabolite levels.