Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Human Blood and Effects of Occupational Exposure on Hematological and Hormonal Qualities

Pesticides are the first choice by farmers for use against plant pathogens, nevertheless their adverse effects to the environment. Current study was designed to measure pesticides residues in blood of spray farmers and to assess their possible effects. Blood indices and thyroid and reproductive hormones were evaluated in blood of adult male volunteers (20-48 years old). Volunteers were divided to three groups; spray-workers (directly-exposed), farmers who live in the country area (indirectly-exposed) and city inhabitants (not exposed). Spray workers had significantly decreased platelet number (PLT, 33%), ratio of large platelet (P-LCR%, 42%), average platelet volume (MPV, 70%), relative width of the distribution of erythrocytes (PDW, 56%), relative content of monocytes, basophils and eosinophils (MXD, 100%) compared to control group. In addition, blood samples of the exposed group showed significantly decreased PLT (30%), P-LCR (40%), MPV (65%) and PDW (50%) compared to the farmers. Furthermore, levels of testosterone, triiodothyronine and thyroxine hormones of spray workers were significantly low compared with the country residents. Then results were further subjected to canonical discriminant analysis to visualize the interrelationships among variables. Results highlighted the critical need for enforced official interventions that reduce overexposure of spray workers throughout Egypt.