Skip to main content
Log in

Anti-cholinesterase agents uptake during cultivation of greenhouse flowers

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The cholinesterase (ChE) activities were measured in-season and out-season in a total of 204 greenhouse workers and 360 non-exposed controls. No seasonal ChE variation were observed in the controls, whereas an inseason depression was seen in the workers, indicating an uptake of anti-cholinesterase agents during cultivation of greenhouse flowers in the intervals between sprayings (p=0.0001). The anti-ChE agents applied seem to persist in the greenhouses and cause continued subtoxic uptake for weeks since last application. Wearing of protective gloves did not prevent the uptake. Thus, chronic percutaneous and oral uptake occurs as a result of cultivation of greenhouse flowers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brock A, Brock V (1990) Plasma cholinesterase activity in a healthy population group with no occupational exposure to known cholinesterase inhibitors: Relative influence of some factors related to normal inter- and intra-individual variations. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 50:401–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Coye MJ, Lowe JA, Maddy KT (1986) Biological monitoring of agricultural workers exposed to pesticides: I. Cholinesterase activity determinations. J Occup Med 28:619–627

    Google Scholar 

  • Grandjean P (1990) Skin penetration: Hazardous chemicals at work. Taylor and Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackathorn RD, Brinkman WJ, Hathaway TR, Talbott TD, Thompson LR (1983) Validative of a whole blood method for cholinesterase monitoring. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 44:547–551

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen ES, Hasle H, Lander F (1991) A cohort study on cancer incidence among Danish gardeners. Am J Ind Med (in press)

  • Hayes W (1982) Pesticides studied in man. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • International Agency for Research on Cancer (1983) Miscellaneous pesticides. (Monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans, vol 30) Lyon

  • Lander F, Lings S (1991) Plasma cholinesterase variation among greenhouse workers, fruitgrowers, and slaughtermen. Br J Ind Med 48:164–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Moraski RV, Nielsen AP (1985) Protective clothing and its significance to the pesticide user. In: Honeycutt RC, Zweig G, Ragsdale NN (eds) Dermal exposure related to pesticide use. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, p 395

    Google Scholar 

  • Moses GC, Tuckerman JF, Henderson AR (1986) Biological variance of cholinesterase and 5-nucleotidase in serum of healthy persons. Clin Chem 32:175–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Nigg HN (1980) Prediction of agricultural workers safety reentry times for organophosphate insecticides. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 41:340–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidell FR, Kaminskis A (1975) Temporal intrapersonal physiological variability of cholinesterase activity in human plasma and erythrocytes. Clin Chem 21:1961–1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldron AC (1985) The potential for applicator-worker exposure to pesticides in greenhouse operations. In: Honeycutt RC, Zweig G, Ragsdale NN (eds) Dermal exposure related to pesticide use. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, p 311

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (1986) Organophosphorus insecticides: A general introduction. Environmental Health Criteria 63, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lander, F., Pike, E., Hinke, K. et al. Anti-cholinesterase agents uptake during cultivation of greenhouse flowers. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 22, 159–162 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00213279

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00213279

Keywords

Navigation