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Exposure of pregnant women and their children to pyrethroid insecticides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Amanda Friaes Martins1, Aline Souza Espindola Santos2, Josino Costa Moreira2
1Public Health Program, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Insights
Children in Brazil show significantly increased exposure to pyrethroid insecticides after birth. This study measured pyrethroid metabolites in pregnant women and their children, highlighting early-life exposure risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Pyrethroids are widely used insecticides in Brazil.
- Exposure during pregnancy and early childhood is linked to adverse health outcomes, including neurodevelopmental and behavioral issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate pyrethroid insecticide exposure in pregnant women and their children in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- To assess changes in pyrethroid metabolite levels from birth through the first six months of life.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples were collected from 142 pregnant women and their children at birth and at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum.
- Creatinine-adjusted levels of pyrethroid metabolites, 3-phenoxy benzoic acid (3-PBA) and 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzyl acid (4-FPBA), were measured.
Main Results:
- Urinary 3-PBA and 4-FPBA were detected in 47.2% and 10.6% of pregnant women, respectively.
- In children, urinary 3-PBA concentrations increased significantly from birth (0.18 ng/mg) to 6 months of age (1.36 ng/mg), with detection rates rising from 10.8% to 20.7%.
Conclusions:
- This study provides crucial data on early-life pyrethroid exposure in Brazilian children.
- Children's exposure to pyrethroids substantially increases after birth, underscoring the need for targeted public health interventions.
Background:
Pyrethroids are commonly used insecticides in Brazil. Gestational and early childhood exposure to pyrethroids has been linked to adverse health effects, including neurodevelopmental delays, behavioral issues, and endocrine disruption. This study evaluated the exposure of pregnant women and their children to pyrethroid insecticides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Methods:
Creatinine-adjusted levels of the pyrethroid metabolites 3-phenoxy benzoic acid (3-PBA) and 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzyl acid (4-FPBA) were measured in the urine of 142 pregnant women and their children at birth and in the first, third, and 6th months of life.
Results:
The geometric mean (GM) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 3-PBA and 4-FPBA urinary concentrations in pregnant women were 0.50 (0.37-0.67) and 0.37 (0.05-2.90) ng/mg, detected in 47.2 and 10.6%, respectively. Urinary concentrations of 3-PBA in the children were 0.18 (0.15-0.23) ng/mg at birth, 0.36 (0.08-1.56) ng/mg at 1-month-old, 0.68 (0.36-1.27) ng/mg at 3-month-old, and 1.36 (0.77-2.42) ng/mg at 6-month-old, and the detection rates were respectively 10.8, 9.4, 20.9, and 20.7%.
Discussion:
This study is one of the few that has evaluated the urinary concentrations of pyrethroids in newborns and children in their 1st year of life. The results of this study show that children's exposure to pyrethroids significantly increases after birth.
