Publication
Title
Endocrine actions of pesticides measured in the Flemish environment and health studies (FLEHS I and II)
Author
Abstract
Within the Flemish Environment and Health studies (FLEHS I, 20022006, and FLEHS II, 20072012), pesticide exposure, hormone levels and degree of sexual maturation were measured in 1415-year-old adolescents residing in Flanders (Belgium). In FLEHS II, geometric mean concentrations (with 95 % confidence interval (CI)) of 307 (277341) and 36.5 ng L−1 (34.039.2) were found for p,p′-dichlorophenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). These values were respectively 26 and 60 % lower than levels in FLEHS I, 5 years earlier. Metabolites of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) and of para-dichlorobenzene were measured for the first time in FLEHS II, yielding concentrations of 11.4, 3.27 and 1.57 μg L−1 for the sum of dimethyl- and diethyl phosphate metabolites and 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), respectively. Data on internal exposure of HCB showed a positive correlation with sexual maturation, testosterone and the aromatase index for boys and with free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (both boys and girls). For both p,p′-DDE and HCB, a negative association with sexual development in girls was found. The OPP metabolites were negatively associated with sex hormone levels in the blood of boys and with sexual maturation (both boys and girls). The pesticide metabolite 2,5-DCP was negatively correlated with free T4, while a positive association with TSH was reported (boys and girls). These results show that even exposure to relatively low concentrations of pesticides can have significant influences on hormone levels and the degree of sexual maturation in 1415-year-old adolescents.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - Landsberg
Publication
Landsberg : 2015
ISSN
0944-1344 [print]
1614-7499 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11356-014-3437-Z
Volume/pages
22 :19 (2015) , p. 14589-14599
ISI
000362329300021
Pubmed ID
25138556
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 29.08.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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