Potential risks of dietary exposure to chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin from their use in fruit/vegetable crops and beef cattle productions

Abstract

The active ingredients (a.i.) used as pesticides vary across regions. Diet represents the main source of chronic exposure to these chemicals. The aim of this study was to look at the pesticides applied in fruit, vegetable, and beef cattle productions in Mendoza (Argentina), to identify those that were simultaneously used by the three production systems. Local individuals (n = 160), involved in these productions, were interviewed. Glyphosate was the a.i. most often used by fruit-vegetable producers, and ivermectin by beef cattle producers. Chlorpyrifos (CPF) and cypermethrin (CYP) were the only a.i. used by the three production systems. The survey revealed that CPF, CYP, alpha CYP, and CPF+CYP were used by 22, 16, 4, and 20% of the fruit and vegetable producers, respectively. Regarding beef cattle, CYP was used by 90% of producers, CYP + CPF formulation by 8%, and alpha CYP by 2%. The second approach of this study was to search the occurrence of CYP and CPF residues in food commodities analyzed under the National Plan for Residue Control (2012-2015). CYP residues found above the LOD were reported in 4.0% and CPF in 13.4% of the vegetable samples tested, as well as in 1.2 and 28.8%, respectively, of the fruit samples tested. Regarding beef cattle, CYP residues were reported in 2.3% and organophosphates (as a general pesticide class) in 13.5% of samples tested. In conclusion, consumers may be exposed simultaneously to CPF and CYP, from fruits, vegetables, and beef intake. Accordingly, the policy for pesticide residues in food and human risk assessment should account for the combined exposure to CPF and CYP. Moreover, appropriate toxicological studies of this mixture (including genotoxicity) are warranted.

Paediatric lung injury due to accidental ingestion of meperfluthrin: a case report

“…Most pyrethroid pesticides have low to medium toxicity. Dietary, respiratory, and cutaneous contact is the most common modes of human exposure to pyrethroid pesticides [ 4 ]. Meperfluthrin is a highly effective fluorine-containing insecticide with low-toxicity.…”

Horticulture affects macroinvertebrate assemblages in adjacent streams (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

“…The pesticide concentration detected in the less-disturbed streams might conceivably be also contributed by applications associated with cattle-pest control within the livestock areas surrounding the reserve. Cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos are frequently used for such a purpose (Ferré et al, 2018), typically to combat the horn-fly pest in cows (Oyarz un et al, 2008).…”

Dietary zinc intake and body mass index as modifiers of the association between household pesticide exposure and infertility among US women: a population-level study

“…Worldwide, an estimated 2.3 billion kg pesticides are used in agriculture annually, and pesticides enter our daily lives in a variety of ways (Juntarawijit and Juntarawijit 2018 ; Nougadère et al 2020 ; de Gavelle et al 2016 ; Sieke et al 2018 ; Ferré et al 2018 ; Benbrook and Davis 2020 ). Research has increased the extant concerns that the permissible pesticide levels in food may be too high for humans, especially vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women (Vandenberg et al 2012 ; Hayes et al 2002 ).…”