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. 2017 May 27;14(6):570.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph14060570.

The Impact of Prenatal Organophosphate Pesticide Exposures on Thai Infant Neurodevelopment

Pornpimol Kongtip  1 , Benyachalee Techasaensiri  2 , Noppanun Nankongnab  3 , Jane Adams  4 , Akkarat Phamonphon  5 , Anu Surach  6 , Supha Sangprasert  7 , Aree Thongsuksai  8 , Prayoon Srikumpol  9 , Susan Woskie  10
Affiliations

The Impact of Prenatal Organophosphate Pesticide Exposures on Thai Infant Neurodevelopment

Pornpimol Kongtip et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

A birth cohort was begun to investigate the levels and sources of pesticide exposure in pregnant women living in Thailand, and to examine the effects of pesticide exposure on infant neurodevelopment at five months of age. Subjects were interviewed using questionnaires regarding their demographic characteristics, educational background, and work and home activities related to pesticide exposures. Spot urine samples were collected at 28 weeks gestation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine maternal metabolite levels of organophosphate pesticides including dimethyl phosphate (DMP); total DEP (diethyl phosphate (DEP), diethyl thiophosphate (DETP), and diethyl dithiophosphate (DEDTP), and total DAP (the sum of all metabolite levels). At five months of age, infant development was evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (Bayley-III). Higher total DEP and total DAP metabolite levels from the mother at 28 weeks' gestation were significantly associated with reduced motor composite scores on the Bayley-III at five months of age. The total DEP levels were also significantly associated with reduced cognitive composite scores. Prenatal concentrations of maternal urinary metabolites were associated with infant cognitive and motor development. The results of several studies now suggest the need for public health intervention to reduce prenatal pesticide exposures from both agricultural and domestic use.

Keywords: Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development; infant neurodevelopment; organophosphate metabolites; pregnant women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationship between prenatal urinary levels of organophosphate pesticide and cognitive and motor composite scores (PDI) on the Bayley-III at five months of age. (A) Total DEP and cognitive composite score; (B) Total DEP and motor composite score; (C) Total DAP and motor composite score.
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