Health Risk Assessment of Pesticide Usage in Menia El-Kamh Province of Sharkia Governorate in Egypt

Abstract

Menia El-Kamh province of the Sharkia Governorate constitutes one of the largest agricultural areas in Egypt. About 88% of the nearly 472,000 people living in this province rely on agricultural activities for subsistence. Several pesticides including organochloride, organophosphorus, carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides are commonly used in citrus, vegetable and other crop-growing areas to increase agricultural productivity. However, their use has also been associated with several cases of pesticide poisoning. In this research, we conducted a field survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the farmer's community regarding the safe use of pesticides. We also evaluated the residual concentrations of selected pesticides in water, soil, milk, fish, and orange samples, and estimated the potential health risks associated with the exposure to these pesticides. Data obtained from the field survey indicate that more than 95% of farm workers do not practice safety precautions during pesticide formulation and application; leading to a considerable prevalence of pesticide-related illnesses in this agricultural community. Pesticide residues in various environmental samples varied greatly; from below detection levels (3-5 ng) to as high as 325 ppb depending on the matrix of interest, and the specific pesticide of concern. The analysis of health risk estimates indicated that chlorpyrifos, DDT, dimethoate, methomyl, and larvin did not pose a direct hazard to human Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2002, 3 1083 health, although present in water, milk, orange, and/or fish. However, aldicarb, and carbosulfan levels exceeded the reference doses, indicating a great potential for systemic toxicity, especially in children who are considered to be the most vulnerable population subgroup. The upper-bound values of cancer risk from DDT exposure were estimated to be about 8 (adults), and 55 (children) excess cancers in a population of one million.

Effect of education and health locus of control on safe use of pesticides: a cross sectional random study

“…The results show that 100% of farmers didn't use PPD which is consistent with the results of many studies conducted in many parts of the world [6,13-15,21,22] and another agricultural areas in Egypt [16,23]. The reasons for not using PPD among the present sample could be due to low level of knowledge about the safety measures, unavailability of protective devices at governmental agricultural association and their high cost at private sector.…”

Pesticide and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) residues in foodstuffs from Ismailia city, Egypt

“…This low contamination might be attributed to the risk-management steps taken by the responsible authority to decrease the volume of pesticides used in the country and to increase the use of integrated pest-management (IPM) programmes, biopesticides and pesticide alternatives (Dogheim et al 2002). On the other hand, many of the pesticides including the banned pesticides are still to be found in many of the environmental segments such as ground water, surface water, fish, mussels, medicinal plants, and soils and sediments from Egypt (Tchounwou et al 2002;Dogheim et al 2004;El-Nemr and Abd-Allah 2004;Abdel-Halim et al 2006).…”

Egyptian Farmers' Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Agricultural Pesticides: Implications for Pesticide Risk Communication

“…It may be relevant to mention that the levels of aldicarb and carbosulfan residues found on citrus fruits purchased from several local markets exceeded the reference doses, especially for children, and that the levels of these two pesticides found in sample groundwater indicate potential health risk. ( 20 ) The reference doses were based on hypothetical body weight and maximum absorption rate guidelines provided by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and water and food consumption guidelines provided by Egyptian Institute of Food Technology. ( 20 ) Also, Egypt's Ministry of Food and Supply found and confiscated fruits and vegetables that have residues of DDT.…”

“…Most (90%) of the residents of the province are directly involved in agriculture and are therefore potentially and directly at risk of pesticide contamination or poisoning. ( 19 ) Pesticides used in the region include organochloride insecticides such as DDT (which has been banned for any use in Egypt ( 20 ) and for agricultural use in most developed countries), lindane, organophosphate insecticides such as anilofos, carbamate insecticides such as carbosulfan, and fungicides such as diniconazole. Organophosphate pesticides are highly toxic and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through the skin, and carbamate pesticides, though less toxic, may also be fatal if inhaled and will irritate or burn the skin.…”