Natalya S Tadevosyan, Gayane V Kirakosyan, Susanna A Muradyan, Susanna B Poghosyan, Bavakan G Khachatryan
{"title":"Relationship between Respiratory Morbidity and Environmental Exposure to Organochlorine Pesticides in Armenia.","authors":"Natalya S Tadevosyan, Gayane V Kirakosyan, Susanna A Muradyan, Susanna B Poghosyan, Bavakan G Khachatryan","doi":"10.5696/2156-9614-11.31.210904","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Many studies have investigated the effects of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) on adverse health outcomes. However, studies addressing the link between respiratory health and OCPs are limited. Organochlorine pesticides are stable compounds and belong to the class of endocrine disrupting chemicals that represent a threat to global health.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of the present study was to examine the association between respiratory morbidity and environmental exposure to OCPs in selected regions in Armenia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was carried out in Lori and Gegharkunik provinces/marzes. The prevalence rate (per 100 000 population) and the average chronological indicators (ACh) for all respiratory diseases and asthma were calculated. Concentrations of OCPs (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane [DDT], dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethane (DDD)) were determined in soil and plant product samples and the average annual total concentration (AATC) of OCPs (γ-HCH + 4,4'-DDT + 4,4'-DDE+4,4'-DDD) was calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ACI for all respiratory diseases showed a growth tendency in areas of Gegharkunik province ranging from 14.2 to 20.9% and an increase in asthma ranging from 9.4% to 174.6%. The highest levels of AATC of OCPs were found in soil sampled in Gegharkunik province: 9.48 ± 1.11 μg/kg and 8.10 ± 1.05 μg/kg and these levels differed significantly from those in Lori (p=0.01-0.0007). The AATC of OCPs in plant products from Gegharkunik was also statistically higher: 1.83±0.13 μg/kg, in comparison with that of Lori province 1.31±0.09 μg/kg (p = 0.001 - 0.0000).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results indicate that the increased tendency of respiratory diseases and asthma could be related to OCP residues found in soil and plant products in Gegharkunik province. However, the role of OCPs should not be ignored. Further research is needed to study OCP contamination dynamics and clarify the role of OCPs in respiratory morbidity.</p><p><strong>Competing interests: </strong>The authors declare no competing financial interests.</p>","PeriodicalId":52138,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health and Pollution","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2021-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8383794/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Health and Pollution","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-11.31.210904","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2021/9/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"Medicine","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Many studies have investigated the effects of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) on adverse health outcomes. However, studies addressing the link between respiratory health and OCPs are limited. Organochlorine pesticides are stable compounds and belong to the class of endocrine disrupting chemicals that represent a threat to global health.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between respiratory morbidity and environmental exposure to OCPs in selected regions in Armenia.
Methods: The study was carried out in Lori and Gegharkunik provinces/marzes. The prevalence rate (per 100 000 population) and the average chronological indicators (ACh) for all respiratory diseases and asthma were calculated. Concentrations of OCPs (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane [DDT], dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethane (DDD)) were determined in soil and plant product samples and the average annual total concentration (AATC) of OCPs (γ-HCH + 4,4'-DDT + 4,4'-DDE+4,4'-DDD) was calculated.
Results: The ACI for all respiratory diseases showed a growth tendency in areas of Gegharkunik province ranging from 14.2 to 20.9% and an increase in asthma ranging from 9.4% to 174.6%. The highest levels of AATC of OCPs were found in soil sampled in Gegharkunik province: 9.48 ± 1.11 μg/kg and 8.10 ± 1.05 μg/kg and these levels differed significantly from those in Lori (p=0.01-0.0007). The AATC of OCPs in plant products from Gegharkunik was also statistically higher: 1.83±0.13 μg/kg, in comparison with that of Lori province 1.31±0.09 μg/kg (p = 0.001 - 0.0000).
Conclusions: The results indicate that the increased tendency of respiratory diseases and asthma could be related to OCP residues found in soil and plant products in Gegharkunik province. However, the role of OCPs should not be ignored. Further research is needed to study OCP contamination dynamics and clarify the role of OCPs in respiratory morbidity.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Health and Pollution (JH&P) was initiated with funding from the European Union and World Bank and continues to be a Platinum Open Access Journal. There are no publication or viewing charges. That is, there are no charges to readers or authors. Upon peer-review and acceptance, all articles are made available online. The high-ranking editorial board is comprised of active members who participate in JH&P submissions and editorial policies. The Journal of Health and Pollution welcomes manuscripts based on original research as well as findings from re-interpretation and examination of existing data. JH&P focuses on point source pollution, related health impacts, environmental control and remediation technology. JH&P also has an interest in ambient and indoor pollution. Pollutants of particular interest include heavy metals, pesticides, radionuclides, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), air particulates (PM10 and PM2.5), and other severe and persistent toxins. JH&P emphasizes work relating directly to low and middle-income countries, however relevant work relating to high-income countries will be considered on a case-by-case basis.