Urinary glyphosate concentration of sprayers in Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand

Authors

  • Phanthawee Khangkhun
  • Pornpimol Kongtip
  • Noppanun Nankongnab
  • Dusit Sujirarat
  • Sumate Pengpumkiat

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/dcj.2020.48

Keywords:

Glyphosate, urine, sprayers, HPLC-FLD

Abstract

Glyphosate is extensively used to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in agricultural field. This study aimed to measure urinary glyphosate concentrations in 49 sprayers. We interviewed the subjects and collected urine samples for 3 time periods; the first morning void urine the day before spraying, urine at the end of spraying task, and the first morning void urine the next day after spraying. The urine samples were analyzed with high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector. The results found that the geometric mean of urinary glyphosate concentrations at the end of spraying event and the next day after spraying were significantly different from those at the day before spraying (Repeated measure ANOVA, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The highest urinary glyphosate concentrations in the next day after spraying had a geometric mean (geometric standard deviation) of 49.49 (2.63) µg/g creatinine. This study indicated that the urinary glyphosate concentrations of the sprayers were higher than those in the other studies. The sprayers should therefore be provided with appropriate trainings on how to safely use and handle the chemical and registered as glyphosate sprayers for monitoring purposes; they should also be allowed to buy glyphosate in the amount that is consistent with the size of their agricultural areas that need spraying. Sprayers should wear proper personal protective equipment, including mask, gloves and shoes. In addition, they should also have proper behaviors and practices, for instance, properly washing hands before eating or drinking, changing contaminated clothing and taking a shower immediately in order to reduce health risk of the sprayers.

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Published

2020-12-23

How to Cite

1.
Khangkhun P, Kongtip P, Nankongnab N, Sujirarat D, Pengpumkiat S. Urinary glyphosate concentration of sprayers in Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand. Dis Control J [Internet]. 2020 Dec. 23 [cited 2024 Apr. 27];46(4):516-27. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/DCJ/article/view/240474

Issue

Vol. 46 No. 4 (2020): October-December

Section

Original Article

License

Articles published in the Disease Control Journal are considered as academic work, research or analysis of the personal opinion of the authors, not the opinion of the Thailand Department of Disease Control or editorial team. The authors must be responsible for their articles.