Asia Pacific Environmental and Occupational Health Journal

Objective: This study determined relationship between environmental exposure of organophosphate pesticides mixtures and neurodevelopment among primary school children in a paddy farming area.

Method: The study was conducted at Tanjung Karang, Selangor. Random sampling method was used to select the children (n=114) based on the inclusive criteria; healthy primary school children, aged 10 to 11 years old and with parental written permission. A set of questionnaire items were filled up by parents to obtain their children’s background information. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Finger prick technique was used to collect 0.01 ml blood samples in which blood cholinesterase concentration as an indicator of organophosphate pesticide exposure were then analyzed using a rapid test cholinesterase test kit Model LOVIBOND 412870 AF287. All seven tests of WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) were used to measure the children’s neurodevelopment.

Result: Findings showed poor neurobehavioral functions scores in term of motor steadiness (36.61), rapid coordination of eye and hand (46.17), attention or response speed (47.28), and perceptual motor speed (47.38). There were significant correlations between blood cholinesterase with the Trail Making Test score (p=0.003) and Pursuit Aiming Test score (p=<0.001). Trail Making Test scores (motor steadiness) were significantly related to the frequencies of these children playing near to the paddy field (p=0.039) whereas Time Reaction / Movement Test score (rapid coordination of eye and hand) was significantly related to the home location with respect to the paddy fields (p=0.042). There was a significant relationship between blood cholinesterase, home location (p=<0.001) and frequency of playing near to the paddy fields (p=0.039).

Conclusion: Home proximity and habits of playing near to the paddy fields were the main factors related to low blood cholinesterase which further resulted in poor motor steadiness as well as poor coordination of eye and hand among these children.

Keyword: Blood Cholinesterase, Neurodevelopment, Children, Organophosphate