Concentration distribution of urinary pyrethroid insecticide metabolites in Japanese workers

Urinary pyrethroid (PYR) metabolites such as 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) and chrysanthemumdicarboxylic acid (CDCA) have been used as the most sensitive biomarker for PYR exposure. The purpose of this study was to reveal the distribution of urinary PYR metabolite concentrations in Japanese workers. Urine samples were collected in both summer and winter seasons from 260 Japanese adults who worked as food distributors (FD, n=92), apple farmers (AF, n=144) or pest control operators (PCO, n=24). FD is regarded as a representative population exposed to PYRs at environmental background levels. 3PBA and CDCA were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Logarithmically transformed PYR metabolites were used for all statistical analyses. High detection frequencies of CDCA and 3PBA were observed in both seasons (more than 92%). The geometric mean values (GSD) of 3PBA in summer and winter were 0.7 (2.3) and 0.5 (2.5) for FD, 0.9 (2.7) and 0.4 (3.1) for AF, and 2.6 (2.9) and 1.8 (3.1) ?g/g creatinine for PCO...