ISSN No. : 0972-1266 l Inform ta at n io e n m S n y o s r i t e ENVIS v m n E Newsletter INDIA Vol. 18 No. 3 August 2011 Malathion Diazinon CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research Lucknow, India August 2011 Vol. 18, No. 3 ODDS & ENDS . 1 Organophosphate compounds include some of the most toxic chemicals used in agriculture. They are disulfoton, phorate, Neurobehavioral function and organophosphate insecticide use dimethoate, ciodrin, dichlorvos, dioxathion, ruelene, among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.........1 carbophenothion, supona, TEPP, EPN, HETP, parathion, Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure and Attention in Young malathion, ronnel, coumaphos, diazinon, trichlorfon, paraoxon, Mexican-American Children: The CHAMACOS Study..................1 potasan, dimefox, mipafox, schradan, sevin, chlorpyrifos and Association of organophosphate pesticide exposure and paraoxo- dimeton. Generally these insecticides are esters, amides, or n a s e w i t h b i r t h o u t c o m e i n m e x i c - a n a m e r i c a n simple derivatives of phosphoric and thiophosphoric acids. Some women.........................................................................................1 less toxic compounds of this group are used as systemic Organophosphate acetylcholine esterase inhibitor poisoning from insecticides in animals against parasitc infection. These include a home-made shampoo...............................................................2 chlorthion, thichlorphon, diazinon, fenchlorphos, and dichlorvos. The organophosphate insecticides can be grouped according to Pollution of soils with organopho-sphorus flame retardants and their toxic action on insects. Many of these compounds are plasticizers.....................................................................2 excreted in milk and are able to cross placental membranes A case report of motor neuron disease in a patient showing causing toxicity in offsprings. The chemicals in this class kill significant level of DDTs, HCHs and organophosphate metabolites insects by disrupting their nervous system. Unfortunately, these in hair as well as levels of hexane and toluene in blood..................2 chemicals can also cause toxicity to brain and nervous system of Nerve agent intoxication: Recent neuropathophysiological findings animals and humans. These chemicals inhibit the activity of a key and subsequent impact on medical management prospects.........2 enzyme in the nervous system called cholinesterase from Organophosphate poisoning in a 12-day-old infant: case working, and this can make people ill. It has been reported that report...........................................................................................2 children, with higher levels of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in their urine suffer from Attention- Organophosphate pesticide exposure and residential proximity to nearby fields: evidence for the drift pathway..................................3 Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) than children with lower levels. Amy Marks, School of Public Health, University of Maternal prenatal and child organophosphate pesticide exposures California (UC) said in a statement "Given that these compounds and children's autonomic function.................................................3 are designed to attack the nervous system of organisms, there is Electroencephalogram, cognitive state, psychological disorders, reason to be cautious, especially in situations where exposure clinical symptom, and oxidative stress in horticulture farmers may coincide with critical periods of fetal and child development,". exposed to organophosphate pesticides......................................3 Young children are vulnerable to organophosphate exposure at a Organophosphate and phthalate esters in indoor air: a comparison greater extent than elders, as they have lower levels of between multi-storey buildings with high and low prevalence of sick acetylcholinesterase to detoxify these pesticides. Symptoms of building symptoms................................................................4 acute exposure include nausea, headaches, twitching, trembling, A highly sensitive and rapid organophosphate biosensor based on excessive salivation and tearing, difficulty in breathing due to enhancement of CdS-decorated graphene nanocompo site.........4 paralysis of the diaphragm, convulsions, and some times at higher doses lead to death. Organophosphates are also among Acute and late complications of organophosphate the most common active ingredients in pesticide poisonings as poisoning...................................................................4 well as suicidal attempts. As per the researchers a number of Organophosphorus poisoning (acute)..........................................4 less-toxic alternatives to organophosphate pesticides are Organophosphate poisoning in pregnancy....................................5 available these are: Pheromones: chemicals secreted by insects Comparative protective effects of HI-6 and MMB-4 against for communication--to disrupt insect mating; Cultural controls: organophosphorous nerve agent poisoning..................................5 crop rotations, manipulating planting dates, reducing of pest habitats and improving crop vigor; Less toxic, more pest-specific Gene-environmental interactions and organophosphate alternative insecticides toxicity...........................................................................5 Enzymes and bioscavengers for prophylaxis and treatment of organophosphate poisoning........................................................6 Editors DID YOU KNOW ? . 6 Dr. Poonam Kakkar CURRENT CONCERNS. 7 Dr. Anvita Shaw REGULATORY TRENDS . 7 ON THE LIGHTER SIDE. 8 Published by : Distributed Information Centre on Toxic Chemicals CONFERENCES . 8 Environmental Information System (ENVIS) BOOK STOP . 9 at CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research MINI PROFILE OF MALATHION . 9 Lucknow, India ENVIS NEWSLETTER August 2011 Vol. 18, No. 3 Neurobehavioral function and motor speed and visual scanning; [Environ Health Perspect 118:1768- organophosphate insecticide use and parathion was associated with 1774.] better performance on a test of among pesticide applicators in the Association of organophosphate sustained attention. Several assoc- Agricultural Health Study. pesticide exposure and paraoxo- iations varied by state. Overall, Although persistent decrements in nase with birth outcome in mexic- authors found no consistent evidence cognitive function have been anamerican women. of an association between OP observed among persons who have pesticide use and adverse NB test Epidemiologic studies suggest that recovered from clinically overt performance among this older maternal organophosphorus (OP) organophosphate (OP) pesticide sample of pesticide applicators. pesticide exposure is associated with poisoning, little is known about the Potential reasons for these mostly poorer fetal growth, but findings are cognitive effects of chronic OP null results include a true absence of inconsistent. The authors explored exposures that do not result in acute effect as well as possible selective whether paraoxonase (PON1), a key poisoning. To examine associations participation by healthier applicators. enzyme involved in detoxification of between long-term pesticide use and OPs, could be an effect modifier in neurobehavioral (NB) function, NB [Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2011 Aug 28. this association. The study population tests were administered to licensed (doi:10.1016/j.ntt.2011.08.014 Epub included 470 pregnant women pesticide applicators enrolled in the ahead of print)] enrolled in the CHAMACOS Study, a Agricultural Health Study (AHS) in Organophosphate Pesticide longitudinal cohort study of mothers Iowa and North Carolina. Between Exposure and Attention in Young and children living in an agricultural 2006 and 2008, 701 male participants Mexican-American Children: The region of California. The authors completed nine NB tests to assess CHAMACOS Study analyzed urine samples collected memory, motor speed and coordin- from mothers twice during pregnancy ation, sustained attention, verbal Organophosphate (OP) pesticides for dialkyl phosphate (DAP) learning and visual scanning and are well-known neurotoxicants that metabolites of OP pesticides. They processing. Data on ever-use and have been associated with neuro- analyzed maternal and fetal (cord) lifetime days of use of 16 OP behavioral deficits in children. blood samples for PON1 genotype pesticides were obtained from AHS Authors evaluated attention-related (PON1(192) and PON1(-108)) and interviews conducted before testing outcomes among Mexican-American enzyme activity (paraoxonase and between 1993 and 2007 and during children participanting in the arylesterase). Infant birth weight, the NB visit. The mean age of CHAMACOS study (331 children 3.5 participants was 61years (SD=12). years and 323 children 5 years of head circumference, and gestational Associations between pesticide use age), and measured urinary dialkyl age were obtained from medical and NB test performance were phosphate (DAP) metabolites in the records. Infants' PON1 genotype and estimated with linear regression children and in their mothers during activity were associated with birth controlling for age and outcome- pregnancy to determine OP outcome, but mothers' were not. specific covariates. NB test exposure. The authors report that Infants with the susceptible PON1(- performance was associated with prenatal DAP levels were positively