Biological monitoring of exposure to organophosphate pesticides

Organophosphates (OPs) are readily absorbed through the skin and biological monitoring is an essential component of any comprehensive assessment of exposure. This paper presents a summary of our experience in a wide range of occupational studies. Additionally, we have conducted studies of non-occupational exposure and human volunteer studies looking at the kinetics of chlorpyrifos, propetamphos, diazinon and malathion. In non-occupationally exposed people, 95% of urinary alkyl phosphates do not exceed 72 μmol/mol creatinine. In occupationally exposed people, the corresponding 95th percentile of total urinary alkyl phosphates is 122 μmol/mol creatinine. In volunteer studies with 1 mg oral doses of chlorpyifos, diazinon and propetamphos the mean peak values were 160, 750 and 404 μmol/mol creatinine, respectively, and were not associated with any reduction in blood cholinesterase activity. The levels of OP metabolites seen in urine from workers potentially exposed to OPs are generally low and unlikely to cause significant reduction in blood cholinesterase activity.