| Sumario: |
The US Environmental Protection Agency voluntary phased-out residential use of chlorpyrifos in 2001. In contrast, in Costa Rica, chlorpyrifos-treated bags are increasingly used to protect
banana and plantain fruits from insects and to fulfill product standards, even in populated areas.
Objectives: To evaluate children’s exposure to chlorpyrifos in villages situated nearby banana plantations and plantain farms in Costa Rica.
Methods: The study targeted two villages with use of chlorpyrifos-treated bags in nearby banana
plantations and plantain farms and one village with mainly organic production. For 140 children from
these villages, mostly indigenous Ngabe and Bribri, parent-interviews and urine samples ( ¨ n¼207) were
obtained. Urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy) levels were measured as a biomarker for chlorpyrifos exposure. In the banana and plantain village also environmental contamination to chlorpyrifos
was explored.
Results: Children from the banana and plantain villages had statistically significant higher urinary TCPy
concentrations than children from the referent village; 2.6 and 2.2 versus 1.3 mg/g creatinine,
respectively. Chlorpyrifos was detected in 30% of the environmental samples as well as in 92% of the
hand/foot wash samples. For more than half of the children their estimated intake exceeded the US EPA
chronic population adjusted dose. For some, the acute population adjusted dose and the chronic
reference dose were also exceeded.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that children living nearby plantations with chlorpyrifos-treated bags
are exposed to chlorpyrifos levels that may affect their health. Interventions to reduce chlorpyrifos
exposure
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