Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana

A survey was undertaken to establish the extent of pesticide exposure in a farming community. Cholinesterase (ChE) activity in whole blood was used as a marker for assessing exposure to pesticides. Complete data were gathered for 63 farmers at Akumadan (exposed) and 58 control subjects at Tono, both...

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Main Authors: Ntow, W.J., Tagoe, L.M., Drechsel, Pay, Kelderman, P., Nyarko, E., Gijzen, H.J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40649
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author Ntow, W.J.
Tagoe, L.M.
Drechsel, Pay
Kelderman, P.
Nyarko, E.
Gijzen, H.J.
author_browse Drechsel, Pay
Gijzen, H.J.
Kelderman, P.
Ntow, W.J.
Nyarko, E.
Tagoe, L.M.
author_facet Ntow, W.J.
Tagoe, L.M.
Drechsel, Pay
Kelderman, P.
Nyarko, E.
Gijzen, H.J.
author_sort Ntow, W.J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A survey was undertaken to establish the extent of pesticide exposure in a farming community. Cholinesterase (ChE) activity in whole blood was used as a marker for assessing exposure to pesticides. Complete data were gathered for 63 farmers at Akumadan (exposed) and 58 control subjects at Tono, both prominent vegetable farming communities in Ghana, by means of a questionnaire and blood cholinesterase analyses (acetylcholine-assay). Although whole blood ChE was significantly lower in the exposed than the control participants, it was not significantly correlated with either confounders of age, sex, body weight, and height or high risks practices. The high risks practices revealed during the survey included lack of use of personal protective clothing, short re-entry intervals, and wrong direction of spraying of pesticides by hand or knapsack sprayer. About 97% of exposed participants had experienced symptoms attributable to pesticide exposure. The frequent symptoms were reported as weakness and headache. There is the need to review safety precautions in the use and application of pesticides in Ghana.
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spelling CGSpace406492025-02-24T06:54:18Z Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana Ntow, W.J. Tagoe, L.M. Drechsel, Pay Kelderman, P. Nyarko, E. Gijzen, H.J. farmers health hazards occupational hazards pesticides vegetables cultivation surveys A survey was undertaken to establish the extent of pesticide exposure in a farming community. Cholinesterase (ChE) activity in whole blood was used as a marker for assessing exposure to pesticides. Complete data were gathered for 63 farmers at Akumadan (exposed) and 58 control subjects at Tono, both prominent vegetable farming communities in Ghana, by means of a questionnaire and blood cholinesterase analyses (acetylcholine-assay). Although whole blood ChE was significantly lower in the exposed than the control participants, it was not significantly correlated with either confounders of age, sex, body weight, and height or high risks practices. The high risks practices revealed during the survey included lack of use of personal protective clothing, short re-entry intervals, and wrong direction of spraying of pesticides by hand or knapsack sprayer. About 97% of exposed participants had experienced symptoms attributable to pesticide exposure. The frequent symptoms were reported as weakness and headache. There is the need to review safety precautions in the use and application of pesticides in Ghana. 2009 2014-06-13T14:48:07Z 2014-06-13T14:48:07Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40649 en Limited Access Ntow, W. J.; Tagoe, L. M.; Drechsel, Pay; Kelderman, P.; Nyarko, E.; Gijzen, H. J. 2009. Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 56:623?630.
spellingShingle farmers
health hazards
occupational hazards
pesticides
vegetables
cultivation
surveys
Ntow, W.J.
Tagoe, L.M.
Drechsel, Pay
Kelderman, P.
Nyarko, E.
Gijzen, H.J.
Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title_full Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title_fullStr Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title_short Occupational exposure to pesticides: blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in Ghana
title_sort occupational exposure to pesticides blood cholinesterase activity in a farming community in ghana
topic farmers
health hazards
occupational hazards
pesticides
vegetables
cultivation
surveys
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40649
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