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Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2022) | Viewed by 21340

Special Issue Editors

National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
Interests: human and environmental risk assessment for pesticides and other chemicals; conceptual developments and incorporation of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs); public health and environmental pollution; sustainability assessments; “One Health” approaches
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Scientific Committee and Emerging Risks Unit, Risk Assessment and Scientific Assistance Department, European Food Safety Authority, I-43126 Parma, Italy
Interests: (1) human and environmental risk assessment for pesticides; (2) supramolecular chemistry and nanomaterials; (3) use of computer assisted molecular simulations to analyze the interaction of xenobiotics with biomolecules and its implication for the risk assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The assessment of pesticides represents a key area in chemical risk assessment, with high scientific and political interest and under continuous evolution. After over 50 years of continuous developments, scientific and regulatory developments are pushing new challenges for prospective and retrospective assessments, with several driving forces behind them. A key element of human hazard assessment is minimizing animal testing and incorporating -omics and other new approach methodologies from 21st-century toxicology, thus leading to better, mechanistically supported assessments covering susceptible groups. The integration of pesticide impacts with climate change and other agronomic pressures is leading ecological developments which can help to identify more realistic models for “agro-environmental” assessments at landscape level. The expansion of human, food, and environmental monitoring programs is leading developments toward “postmarketing” vigilance approaches, and challenges in integrating prospective and retrospective approaches, but also intensifying the need to move from independent assessments of each pesticide to the combined assessment of the cumulative impact of pesticides on humans and the environment. The massive amount of data is triggering the implementation of Big Data approaches and envisioning the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in the assessments. Last but not least, social interest and concern are triggering the incorporation of social sciences to improve risk communication.

This Special Issue is open to any subject related to risk assessment of pesticides for human health and for the environment. Research papers, analytical reviews, case studies, conceptual frameworks, and policy-relevant articles are welcome.

Dr. Jose V. Tarazona
Dr. Oriol Magrans
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pesticides
  • risk assessment
  • risk management
  • risk communication
  • pesticide toxicology
  • pesticide ecotoxicology
  • pesticide chemistry and monitoring
  • pesticide residues in food

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 328 KiB  
Article
Pesticide Safety Awareness among Rural Farmers in Dadinkowa, Gombe State, Nigeria
by Haruna Musa Moda, Daniel Mensah Anang, Newton Moses, Felix Mandoli Manjo, Victoria Ibukun Joshua, Nwadike Christopher, Paulina Doka and Mela Danjin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13728; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192113728 - 22 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1509
Abstract
Introduction: Because of the longer growing season and warmer climate, weeds and insect pests spread are on the rise, thereby increasing the demand for pesticide use and consequently harmful emissions that further exacerbate climate change. Unsafe occupational exposure to pesticide residue is associated [...] Read more.
Introduction: Because of the longer growing season and warmer climate, weeds and insect pests spread are on the rise, thereby increasing the demand for pesticide use and consequently harmful emissions that further exacerbate climate change. Unsafe occupational exposure to pesticide residue is associated with a lack of product knowledge and safety awareness among farmers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was adopted for this study in which a face-to-face administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 285 respondents who were selected using convenient snowball sampling technique. Knowledge, awareness, and practices related to pesticide storage, handling, application, and containers disposal among the farmers were measured. Categorical variables were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics in the form of frequency count and percentage, while numeric items were summarized using mean and standard deviation. Results: Dichlorvos and Perfekthion 2.5 EC listed in the WHO Group I pesticide classification were among the most frequently used pesticides. Symptoms of pesticide intoxication reported include headaches (56.1%), dizziness (56.5%), skin irritation (53.3%), and fatigue (45.6%), respectively. Farmers’ behaviour during pesticide application include blowing clogged nozzle with mouth (42.7%), talking while spraying (59.8%), and mixing pesticide with bare hands (31.1%). Furthermore, 38.5% of them use pesticide containers for other domestic purposes. Conclusions: Socioeconomic factors, i.e., educational level, age, and years of farm practice, influenced farmers safety behaviour. Based on these findings, an approach that will help strengthen capacity building programmes and the enhancement of knowledge-based initiatives around the adoption of non-synthetic pest-control methods should be encouraged. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
16 pages, 1998 KiB  
Article
The Evolutionary Game Analysis of Low Carbon Production Behaviour of Farmers, Government and Consumers in Food Safety Source Governance
by Yayan Xie, Yang Su and Feng Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12211; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191912211 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1527
Abstract
Whether the quality of agricultural products is safe or not is related to issues of food safety and low carbon production in agriculture. Based on evolutionary game theory, this paper establishes a game model among government, farmers and consumers and analyzes the dynamic [...] Read more.
Whether the quality of agricultural products is safe or not is related to issues of food safety and low carbon production in agriculture. Based on evolutionary game theory, this paper establishes a game model among government, farmers and consumers and analyzes the dynamic evolutionary process and evolutionary stable strategies of the major stakeholders. The results show that: (i) government subsidy coefficient, farmers’ penalty coefficient for not producing, consumer trust coefficient and willingness to pay carbon labelled agricultural products premium are positively related to farmers’ adoption of low-carbon production behaviour, and fraud penalty coefficient and farmers’ cost of adopting low-carbon production technology are negatively related; (ii) farmers’ sensitivity to government regulation policies is: fraud penalty coefficient = farmers’ cost of adopting low-carbon production technology > government subsidy The sensitivity of farmers to government regulation policies is: fraud penalty coefficient = cost of low-carbon production technology > government subsidy > penalty coefficient for non-production, and the sensitivity of farmers to direct market stimulation is: consumer trust coefficient > coefficient of willingness to pay premium for carbon labelled agricultural products, and the additional benefit coefficient has no significant effect on farmers’ decision-making; (iii) In the early stage, the source control of food safety mainly depends on the government’s policy intervention. In the later stage, the establishment of carbon label agricultural products market incentive mechanism can achieve long-term stable and effective source control of food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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15 pages, 1995 KiB  
Article
Modeling of Bentazone Leaching in Soils with Low Organic Matter Content
by Tadeusz Paszko and Claudio A. Spadotto
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7187; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19127187 - 11 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1371
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate bentazone’s potential to leach to groundwater in the Arenosols developed from sand, Luvisols developed from loamy sand or sandy loam, and Luvisols or Cambisols developed from loess, and to identify the major factors influencing bentazone’s [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to estimate bentazone’s potential to leach to groundwater in the Arenosols developed from sand, Luvisols developed from loamy sand or sandy loam, and Luvisols or Cambisols developed from loess, and to identify the major factors influencing bentazone’s fate in the soils. Potato and maize cultivations were simulated using the FOCUS PELMO 5.5.3 pesticide leaching model. The amount of bentazone reaching groundwater was highly sensitive to degradation parameters, water-holding capacity, evapotranspiration, organic carbon content, and pH. The highest bentazone concentrations in percolate were noted in Arenosols. The risk of bentazone concentration exceeding 0.1 μg/L was low only in Arenosols with high organic carbon content (3.0% for topsoil or higher). In Luvisols developed from loamy sand or sandy loam, the estimated bentazone concentrations in percolate were highly dependent on the climate. In Luvisols or Cambisols developed from loess, concentrations of >0.1 μg/L were the least likely due to the high water-holding capacity and high organic carbon content of these soils. The study also revealed that the FOCUS Hamburg scenario, representing the coarsest soils in the European Union with relatively low organic carbon content, does not reflect the leaching potential of Arenosols and Luvisols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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16 pages, 2411 KiB  
Article
Modulatory Effect of Papaya Extract against Chlorpyrifos-Induced Oxidative Stress, Immune Suppression, Endocrine Disruption, and DNA Damage in Female Clarias gariepinus
by Abdallah Tageldein Mansour, Heba S. Hamed, Hossam S. El-Beltagi and Walid Fathy Mohamed
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4640; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19084640 - 12 Apr 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2293
Abstract
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is one of the widely used organophosphorus pesticides in agriculture activities and its presence in the aquatic environment has been broadly recorded. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CPF exposure on oxidative stress, innate immunity, sexual hormones, and [...] Read more.
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is one of the widely used organophosphorus pesticides in agriculture activities and its presence in the aquatic environment has been broadly recorded. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CPF exposure on oxidative stress, innate immunity, sexual hormones, and DNA integrity of female African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, in addition to the potential use of dietary supplementation of papaya, Carica papaya (CP), extract against CPF toxicity. Apparent healthy female catfish (300 ± 10 g) were divided into four groups with three replicates each. The first group served as the negative control (fed on a basal diet) and the other groups exposed to CPF (8.75 µg/L) with or without CP extract (250 mg/kg body weight) for six weeks. The results revealed that CPF exposure exhibited marked elevations in stress markers (glucose and cortisol), serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase activities, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone level. Moreover, CPF increased the percentage of hepatic DNA damage. In addition, catfish exposed to CPF experienced significant decline in serum total protein, albumin, follicles stimulating hormone, estradiol hormone levels, AChE, immunoglobulin, and lysozyme activity. CPF induced significantly oxidative stress in hepatic and renal tissues. The dietary supplementation with CP extract at a level of 250 mg/kg body weight succeeded to alleviate the negative effects of CPF on the physiological, immunological, and antioxidant status of female catfish. In addition, CP extract alleviated the endocrine disruption and hepatic DNA damage and counteracted the subchronic CPF toxicity in female African catfish. Finally, the CP extract may be used as a feed additive in the aquatic diet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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17 pages, 2099 KiB  
Article
Factors Associated with Levels of Organophosphate Pesticides in Household Dust in Agricultural Communities
by Grace Kuiper, Bonnie N. Young, Sherry WeMott, Grant Erlandson, Nayamin Martinez, Jesus Mendoza, Greg Dooley, Casey Quinn, Wande O. Benka-Coker and Sheryl Magzamen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 862; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19020862 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1645
Abstract
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. Pesticide use data are available for California from the Pesticide Use Report (PUR), but household- and individual-level exposure factors have not been fully characterized to support its refinement as an exposure assessment tool. [...] Read more.
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. Pesticide use data are available for California from the Pesticide Use Report (PUR), but household- and individual-level exposure factors have not been fully characterized to support its refinement as an exposure assessment tool. Unique exposure pathways, such as proximity to agricultural operations and direct occupational contact, further complicate pesticide exposure assessment among agricultural communities. We sought to identify influencing factors of pesticide exposure to support future exposure assessment and epidemiological studies. Household dust samples were collected from 28 homes in four California agricultural communities during January and June 2019 and were analyzed for the presence of OPs. Factors influencing household OPs were identified by a data-driven model via best subsets regression. Key factors that impacted dust OP levels included household cooling strategies, secondary occupational exposure to pesticides, and geographic location by community. Although PUR data demonstrate seasonal trends in pesticide application, this study did not identify season as an important factor, suggesting OP persistence in the home. These results will help refine pesticide exposure assessment for future studies and highlight important gaps in the literature, such as our understanding of pesticide degradation in an indoor environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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15 pages, 1755 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Detoxification of Some Insecticides in Aqueous Media Using TiO2 Nanocatalyst
by Ahmed Massoud, Aly Derbalah, Ibrahim El-Mehasseb, Moustafa Saad Allah, Mohamed S. Ahmed, Ashraf Albrakati and Ehab Kotb Elmahallawy
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9278; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18179278 - 02 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1793
Abstract
The present study was performed to fabricate a titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocatalyst with proper characteristics for the removal of some insecticides (dimethoate and methomyl) from aqueous media. A TiO2 catalyst of regular (TiO2—commercial—/H2O2/UV) or [...] Read more.
The present study was performed to fabricate a titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocatalyst with proper characteristics for the removal of some insecticides (dimethoate and methomyl) from aqueous media. A TiO2 catalyst of regular (TiO2—commercial—/H2O2/UV) or nano (TiO2—synthesized—/H2O2/UV) size was employed as an advanced oxidation process by combining it with H2O2 under light. Moreover, the total detoxification of insecticides after treatment with the most effective system (TiO2(s)/H2O2/UV) was also investigated through exploring the biochemical alterations and histopathological changes in the liver and kidneys of the treated rats. Interestingly, the present study reported that degradation rates of the examined insecticides were faster using the TiO2 catalyst of nano size. Complete degradation of the tested insecticides (100%) was achieved under the TiO2(s)/H2O2/UV system after 320 min of irradiation. The half-life values of the tested insecticides under H2O2/TiO2(c)/UV were 43.86 and 36.28 for dimethoate and methomyl, respectively, whereas under the H2O2/TiO2(c)/UV system, the half-life values were 27.72 and 19.52 min for dimethoate and methomyl, respectively. On the other hand, no significant changes were observed in the biochemical and histopathological parameters of rats administrated with water treated with TiO2(s)/H2O2/UV compared to the control, indicating low toxicity of the TiO2 nanocatalyst-. Altogether, the advanced oxidation processes using TiO2 nanocatalyst can be considered as a promising and effective remediation technology for the complete detoxification of methomyl and dimethoate in water. However, further future research is needed to identify the possible breakdown products and to verify the safety of the used nanomaterials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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22 pages, 5456 KiB  
Article
A Simplified Population-Level Landscape Model Identifying Ecological Risk Drivers of Pesticide Applications, Part One: Case Study for Large Herbivorous Mammals
by David Tarazona, Guillermo Tarazona and Jose V. Tarazona
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7720; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18157720 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2244
Abstract
Environmental risk assessment is a key process for the authorization of pesticides, and is subjected to continuous challenges and updates. Current approaches are based on standard scenarios and independent substance-crop assessments. This arrangement does not address the complexity of agricultural ecosystems with mammals [...] Read more.
Environmental risk assessment is a key process for the authorization of pesticides, and is subjected to continuous challenges and updates. Current approaches are based on standard scenarios and independent substance-crop assessments. This arrangement does not address the complexity of agricultural ecosystems with mammals feeding on different crops. This work presents a simplified model for regulatory use addressing landscape variability, co-exposure to several pesticides, and predicting the effect on population abundance. The focus is on terrestrial vertebrates and the aim is the identification of the key risk drivers impacting on mid-term population dynamics. The model is parameterized for EU assessments according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Guidance Document, but can be adapted to other regulatory schemes. The conceptual approach includes two modules: (a) the species population dynamics, and (b) the population impact of pesticide exposure. Population dynamics is modelled through daily survival and seasonal reproductions rates; which are modified in case of pesticide exposure. All variables, parameters, and functions can be modified. The model has been calibrated with ecological data for wild rabbits and brown hares and tested for two herbicides, glyphosate and bromoxynil, using validated toxicity data extracted from EFSA assessments. Results demonstrate that the information available for a regulatory assessment, according to current EU information requirements, is sufficient for predicting the impact and possible consequences at population dynamic levels. The model confirms that agroecological parameters play a key role when assessing the effect of pesticide exposure on population abundance. The integration of laboratory toxicity studies with this simplified landscape model allows for the identification of conditions leading to population vulnerability or resilience. An Annex includes a detailed assessment of the model characteristics according to the EFSA scheme on Good Modelling Practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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26 pages, 6073 KiB  
Article
Contamination of Foods from Cameroon with Residues of 20 Halogenated Pesticides, and Health Risk of Adult Human Dietary Exposure
by Yamdeu Joseph Hubert Galani, Michael Houbraken, Abukari Wumbei, Joseph Fovo Djeugap, Daniel Fotio, Yun Yun Gong and Pieter Spanoghe
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 5043; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18095043 - 10 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4287
Abstract
(1) Background: Halogenated pesticides are abundantly used in Cameroon, but there is no information on the health risk of consumers from exposure to their residues in foods. (2) Methods: Residues of 20 halogenated pesticides were determined in 11 agricultural products collected in the [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Halogenated pesticides are abundantly used in Cameroon, but there is no information on the health risk of consumers from exposure to their residues in foods. (2) Methods: Residues of 20 halogenated pesticides were determined in 11 agricultural products collected in the 3 largest cities of Cameroon using QuEChERS extraction and gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and health risk from dietary exposure was assessed. (3) Results: Organochlorines pesticides aldrin, p,p’-dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) found in 85.0%, 81.9% and 72.5% of samples, respectively, were the most frequently detected. The highest average concentrations of residues were 1.12, 0.74 and 0.39 mg/kg for methoxychlor, alachlor and β-HCH, respectively, found in chilli pepper. Chili pepper (58.9%), cowpea (56.8%), black beans (56.5%) and kidney beans (54.0%) exhibited the highest residue occurrences. Levels above the European Union maximum residue limits (MRLs) were found for all the 20 pesticides, in 40.1% of the positive analyses, and the food samples contained 14 pesticides banned in Cameroon. Chronic, acute, cumulative and carcinogenic risk assessments revealed that lifetime consumption of maize, black beans, kidney beans, groundnuts and chili pepper contaminated with aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, HCB, heptachlor, o,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDD, p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDE and β-HCH, could pose health risks. (4) Conclusion: These results show that there is an urgent need of pesticide usage regulation, effective application of pesticide bans and management of obsolete pesticide stocks in Cameroon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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13 pages, 1203 KiB  
Article
Chronic Exposure to Organophosphates Pesticides and Risk of Metabolic Disorder in Cohort from Pakistan and Cameroon
by Mbah Ntepe Leonel Javeres, Rabia Habib, Ngondi Judith Laure, Syed Tahir Abbas Shah, Martin Valis, Kamil Kuca and Syed Muhammad Nurulain
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2310; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18052310 - 26 Feb 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3300
Abstract
(1) Background: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) are major chemicals used in agriculture for eradication of insecticides/pesticides. Unfortunately, the longtime exposure of human beings to OPPs could lead to metabolic disorder such as high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, overweight or dyslipidemia. The aim of this research [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) are major chemicals used in agriculture for eradication of insecticides/pesticides. Unfortunately, the longtime exposure of human beings to OPPs could lead to metabolic disorder such as high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, overweight or dyslipidemia. The aim of this research is to evaluate the possible metabolic dysregulations as a consequence of chronic OPPs exposure to individuals in Cameroon and Pakistan. (2) Methods: Blood samples were collected from 300 participants in each country, into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes. The samples were extracted with solid phase extraction (methanol/water) for analysis of OPPs with gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The spectrophotometry and Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) were used to measure the hepatic, renal, pancreatic and cardiovascular functions. The atherogenic index (AI) was also determined in OPPs exposed and nonexposed cohorts. (3) Results: The results showed the presence of malathion, parathion and chlorpyrifos OPPs residues in Cameroonians, and malathion and chlorpyrifos in Pakistani samples, respectively. Elevated Body Mass Index (BMI), insulin, blood glucose, dyslipidemia and hypertension were noted in OPPs chronic exposed groups. In addition, dysregulated liver and kidney function profiles were observed in all participants regardless of gender and age groups. (4) Conclusions: The study concludes that both the study cohorts showed several metabolic dysregulations attributable to chronic exposure to a mixture of OPPs which may provide precursors for establishment of metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases. Further different extended population-based studies are suggested to understand the differential metabolic dysfunctions caused by structurally different OPPs mixtures exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pesticide Risk Assessment: Human and Environmental)
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