Organophosphate Pesticide Urinary Metabolites Among Latino Immigrants: North Carolina Farmworkers and Non-farmworkers Compared

Background:This analysis documents detections and concentrations of the six dialkylphosphate (DAP) urinary metabolite of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides among North Carolina Latino migrant farmworkers, with comparison to non-farmworker Latino immigrants.Methods:Participants provided up to four urine samples during the 2012 and 2013 agricultural seasons. Composite urine samples for each year were analyzed.Results:DAP urinary metabolite detections were similar in farmworkers and non-farmworker; for example, for 2012, 75.4% of farmworkers and 67.4% of non-farmworkers and, for 2013, 89.3% of farmworkers and 89.7% of non-farmworkers had dimethylthiophosphate detections. DAP geometric mean concentrations were high; for example, dimethylphosphate concentrations among farmworkers were 11.39g/g creatinine for 2012 and 4.49g/g creatinine for 2013, while they were 10.49g/g creatinine for 2012 and 1.97g/g creatinine for 2013 for non-farmworkersConclusions:Research to reduce pesticide exposure among Latino farmworkers and non-farmworkers is needed.