Nutta Taneepanichskul

Health Risk Assessment Related to Dermal Exposure of Chlorpyrifos: A Case Study of Rice Growing Farmers in Nakhon Nayok Province, Central Thailand

ABSTRACT To date, pesticides, especially organophosphate pesticide such as chlorpyrifos, have been frequently applied to paddy fields over time to maintain product quality, protect agricultural crops from various pests, and increase yield. This study evaluates dermal exposure to chlorpyrifos in rice farmers along with providing a health risk assessment. Thirty-five rice farmers participated and completed an in-person interview, and patch technique was used to evaluate dermal exposure to chlorpyrifos. The chlorpyrifos residue was extracted from the gauze patches and quantified by gas chromatography equipped with flame photometric detector (GC-FPD). The results showed that chlorpyrifos concentrations were greater in males (526.34 ± 478.84 mg/kg) than females (500.75 ± 595.15 mg/kg). Average daily dose sampled from seven points on male and female farmers were 31.72 × 10−4, 193.32 × 10−4, 5.38 × 10−4, 190.48 × 10−4, 170.47 × 10−4, 465.91 × 10−4, and 43.04 × 10−4 mg/kg-day. The hazard quotient (HQ) at the mean and 95th percentile level was found to be greater than acceptable (HQ > 1). Rice-growing farmers in this area may be at risk for adverse health effects due to continuous dermal exposure to chlorpyrifos from their improper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Effects of Bedroom Environmental Conditions on the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

STUDY OBJECTIVES Epidemiological associations have demonstrated the effects of long-term air pollution to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) through a physiological mechanism linking particulate matter exposure to OSA. This study aimed to determine the relationship between bedroom environmental conditions, OSA severity, and sleep quality. METHODS Sixty-three participants were enrolled for an overnight polysomnography; OSA was diagnosed between May to August 2016. Personal characteristics and sleep quality were obtained by a face-to-face interview. Bedroom environments, including data on particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM10), temperature, and relative humidity, were collected by personal air sampling and a HOBO tempt/RH data logger. RESULTS Sixty-eight percent of the participants experienced poor sleep. An elevation in 1-year mean PM10 concentration was significantly associated with an increase in apnea-hypopnea index (beta = 1.04, P = .021) and respiratory disturbance index (beta = 1.07, P = .013). An increase of bedroom temperature during sleep was significantly associated with poorer sleep quality (adjusted odds ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.10, P = .044). Associations between PM10 concentration and respiratory disturbance index were observed in the dry season (beta = 0.59, P = .040) but not in the wet season (beta = 0.39, P = .215). PM10 was not associated with subjective sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS Elevation of PM10 concentration is significantly associated with increased OSA severity. Our findings suggest that reduction in exposure to particulate matter and suitable bedroom environments may lessen the severity of OSA and promote good sleep.

Incense Smoke and Increasing Carotid Intima Media Thickness: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Thai-Vietnamese Community

Incense burning, a source of household indoor air pollution, is possible to effect on cardiovascular system. Our study sought to examine the association of long-term exposure to household incense smoke with increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). A cross-sectional study was conducted 132 adults aged ≥35 years. Participants were stratified into 3 groups by their long-term household incense use; nonexposed group, non–daily exposed group, and daily exposed group. A combined mean CIMT (mean difference = 0.04 mm; P < .01) and combined maximum CIMT (mean difference = 0.09 mm; P < .01) in the daily exposed group had greater than the nonexposed group. The mean CIMT and maximum CIMT of the left common carotid artery in the daily exposed group was significantly greater than the nonexposed group (P < .01). These findings suggest that incense burning inside the house may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.

Premenstrual Syndrome and Sleep Quality among Private Hospital Nurses in Bangkok, Thailand

Background: Premenstrual syndrome is a recurrent disorder in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The common sleep problems associated with premenstrual syndrome are insomnia, night time awakenings, and non-restoration of sleep. A nurse is a profession that tends to have more circadian rhythms disturbance because of shift working patterns. This study aimed to explore whether premenstrual syndrome associated with sleep quality among private hospital nurses in Bangkok, Thailand. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The participants of 209 female nurses who classified as a regular menstruation in one private hospital were recruited. The self-reported standard questionnaire was distributed to the participants. Sleep quality and premenstrual syndrome was accessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) – Thai version and Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) – Thai version respectively. The associations of factors and sleep quality were analyzed by Chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the adjusted odd ratio of PMS on poor sleep quality. Results: The mean age of registered nurses were 31.38 (±5.35) years. Most of them were single (78.9%) and had normal stress level (82.9%). More than half of the nurses (66.5%) had been working on rotating shift included night shift. Prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) was found in 66.5% of nurses. Small group of nurses (7.7%) had premenstrual syndrome. Physical symptoms (48.30%) and overeating/ food craving symptom (41.60%) were the highest reported symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. There was no significant associated between premenstrual syndrome and poor sleep quality. Binary logistic regression showed almost symptoms of premenstrual syndrome were a risk to poor sleep quality (OR adjusted >1) even though statistical significance was not achieved. Conclusion: More than half of private hospital nurses had poor sleep quality and small group of them had premenstrual syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome was not significant associated with poor sleep quality. The results suggested that a management of nurses’ working schedule should consider their physical activities during their luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Contamination and Footprints of Organ‐ophosphate Pesticide on Rice-Growing Farmers’ Bodies: A Case Study in Nakhon Nayok Province, Central Thailand

Thailand is among the top ten agricultural exporters in the world. With a favorable climate and well-developed agricultural processing facilities, the main exporting commodity is rice. Pesticides, especially organophosphate pesticides (OPs), have been commonly used in paddy fields over time to protect agricultural crops from various pests and to increase yields. Most rice-growing farmers apply high amounts of OPs as common as chlorpyrifos with little concern for their health. This study aimed to (1) measure chlorpyrifos (OPs) on farmers’ bodies and (2) assess the frequency of fluorescent footprint on each part of farmers’ bodies. Thirty-five rice farmers occupied with mixing, loading, and spraying chlorpyrifos were recruited from Sisa Krabue sub-district, Ongkharak district, Nakhon Nayok province. The farmers were patched with cotton gauze on 7 points of the body: head (on hat), chest (on shirt), chest (under shirt), arm (on long sleeve shirt), upper leg (on trousers), lower leg (on trousers), and back (on shirt). The footprint of areas of potential exposure on the farmers’ bodies was tracked by fluorescent tracer, a non-toxic chemical used to mimic pesticide contamination on skin, clothing, and surfaces and investigate under the UV-A light in a dark room. The fluorescence chemical (Tinopal CBS-X, 260 mg/L) was added prior through the mixing process. The residues were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method and analyzed by gas chromatography with flame photometric detector (GC-FPD). The results showed that chlorpyrifos was detected on cotton gauze patches (n = 245) from head, chest outside clothes, chest inside clothes, arm, upper leg, lower leg, and back in the range of 1.825–44.039, 0.942–936.524, 0.010–12.373, 2.032–545.941, 1.736–469.896, 1.672–1,088.132, 0.877–236.663 mg/kg, respectively. And the frequency of fluorescent footprint were mostly found on farmer upper and lower legs (97.1%) and occasionally found on their chest under long sleeve shirt (45.7%). In conclusion, risk communication of pesticide use with good agricultural practice should be introduced to the farmers for reducing OPs exposure and the consequence of adverse health effects.