β-Glucuronidase activity is a sensitive biomarker to assess low-level organophosphorus insecticide exposure

Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities in blood are widely used as the biomarkers for organophosphorus insecticide (OP)exposure In the present Study. we conducted a cross-sectional Study to evaluate plasma beta-glucuronidase (BG), a sensitive biomarker candidate for OP exposure, BChE activities and urinary dialkyl phosphates (DAPs). OP metabolites We assessed the relationship between these biomarker levels in the following groups 32 controls (control), 21 pest control operators and their co-workers who had not sprayed OPs within 3 days prior to sample collection (PCO1), and 21 pest control operators who sprayed OPs within those 3 days (PCO2) Logarithmically transformed age-adjusted means of DAPs were 3.88. 5 62 and 6 45 nmol/g creatinine for control, PCO1 and PCO2, respectively (P < 0 001 for difference, P < 0 001 for trend) Logarithmically transformed age-adjusted means of BG were 1 40, 1 52 and 1.85 mu mol/L/h for control, PCO1 and PCO2, respectively. BG activity, but not BChE, was increased according to their OP exposure level (P = 0 038 for difference, P = 0 026 for trend) It was concluded that plasma BG activity is more sensitive biomarker as well as urinary OP metabolites than BChE for low-level exposure in humans (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd All rights reserved.