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Occupational pesticide exposure, hematological parameters, and cholinesterase and paraoxonase-1 activities among avocado farmworkers in Michoacán, Mexico

Hu, Cheng Yang ; Mora, Ana M. ; Mistry, Shachi ; Medina Madrid, Andrea ; Méndez González, Rosaura ; Urua Corrales, Adriana ; Lindh, Christian LU orcid ; Rojas García, Aurora Elizabeth ; Rosa, María José and Armendáriz-Arnez, Cynthia (2026) In International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 276.
Abstract

Avocado farmworkers are potentially exposed to multiple pesticides, which may influence hematological parameters and detoxification enzyme activities. This study enrolled 105 avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico, during May–August 2021. We quantified 12 pesticide metabolites in urine samples collected at two visits (12–13 weeks apart) and estimated annual exposure intensity scores (EIS) using a questionnaire-based algorithm. Blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and enzymatic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). We assessed single-metabolite associations using multivariable linear regression with false... (More)

Avocado farmworkers are potentially exposed to multiple pesticides, which may influence hematological parameters and detoxification enzyme activities. This study enrolled 105 avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico, during May–August 2021. We quantified 12 pesticide metabolites in urine samples collected at two visits (12–13 weeks apart) and estimated annual exposure intensity scores (EIS) using a questionnaire-based algorithm. Blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and enzymatic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). We assessed single-metabolite associations using multivariable linear regression with false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and mixture effects using Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) regression. In single-metabolite models, higher hydroxy-thiabendazole was associated with higher WBC count (β per 2-fold increase = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.35), higher hydroxy-pyrimethanil was associated with lower WBC count (β per 2-fold increase = −0.14; 95% CI: −0.26, −0.02), and higher trans-DCCA (a pyrethroid metabolite) was associated with lower Hb (β per 2-fold increase = −0.24; 95% CI: −0.46, −0.01). These associations were attenuated after FDR correction. Annual EIS was not significantly associated with hematological parameters or AChE, BChE, or PON1 activities. BWQS analyses detected no significant mixture effects. Although no associations were robust to multiple-comparison correction, suggestive patterns for fungicide and pyrethroid metabolites warrant confirmation in larger studies with repeated exposure measurement and outcome monitoring.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Enzymes, Farmworker health, Fungicides, Hematological parameters, Pesticides
in
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
volume
276
article number
114827
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105040660114
  • pmid:42214159
ISSN
1438-4639
DOI
10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114827
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
689a29d3-d951-4f05-bf4b-f28a2906c5f2
date added to LUP
2026-08-28 12:43:27
date last changed
2026-08-29 02:15:27
@article{689a29d3-d951-4f05-bf4b-f28a2906c5f2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Avocado farmworkers are potentially exposed to multiple pesticides, which may influence hematological parameters and detoxification enzyme activities. This study enrolled 105 avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico, during May–August 2021. We quantified 12 pesticide metabolites in urine samples collected at two visits (12–13 weeks apart) and estimated annual exposure intensity scores (EIS) using a questionnaire-based algorithm. Blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and enzymatic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). We assessed single-metabolite associations using multivariable linear regression with false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and mixture effects using Bayesian weighted quantile sum (BWQS) regression. In single-metabolite models, higher hydroxy-thiabendazole was associated with higher WBC count (β per 2-fold increase = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.35), higher hydroxy-pyrimethanil was associated with lower WBC count (β per 2-fold increase = −0.14; 95% CI: −0.26, −0.02), and higher trans-DCCA (a pyrethroid metabolite) was associated with lower Hb (β per 2-fold increase = −0.24; 95% CI: −0.46, −0.01). These associations were attenuated after FDR correction. Annual EIS was not significantly associated with hematological parameters or AChE, BChE, or PON1 activities. BWQS analyses detected no significant mixture effects. Although no associations were robust to multiple-comparison correction, suggestive patterns for fungicide and pyrethroid metabolites warrant confirmation in larger studies with repeated exposure measurement and outcome monitoring.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hu, Cheng Yang and Mora, Ana M. and Mistry, Shachi and Medina Madrid, Andrea and Méndez González, Rosaura and Urua Corrales, Adriana and Lindh, Christian and Rojas García, Aurora Elizabeth and Rosa, María José and Armendáriz-Arnez, Cynthia}},
  issn         = {{1438-4639}},
  keywords     = {{Enzymes; Farmworker health; Fungicides; Hematological parameters; Pesticides}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health}},
  title        = {{Occupational pesticide exposure, hematological parameters, and cholinesterase and paraoxonase-1 activities among avocado farmworkers in Michoacán, Mexico}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114827}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114827}},
  volume       = {{276}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}