Background: Migrant and seasonal farmworkers have a high potential for pesticide exposures, yet are rarely included in epidemiologic studies. This study examined the feasibility of assessing prenatal exposures to pesticides and other compounds in pregnant Hispanic farmworkers. Methods: Nine women completed a survey about work experiences during pregnancy. Maternal urine, cord blood, and placenta samples were obtained at delivery for analysis of 51 analytes, including 6 phenoxy acid or triazine herbicides, 21 organochlorine insecticides, 10 PCBS, and 14 volatile organic compounds. Results: Seven of 51 analytes were found in the biological samples. DDE, DDT, dichlorbenzene, toluene, trimethylbenzene, and endosulfan sulfate were detected in cord blood samples, and 2,4-D in urine from one or more women. Conclusions: We documented the feasibility of following farmworkers to assess in utero exposure to pesticides and other contaminants, and demonstrated exposure to these compounds. Difficulties in measuring pesticides with short half lives were noted. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hispanic cancer Occupation Farmwork Pesticides migrant Texas Prenatal

evaluation agricultural worker human risk assessment ethnic group Agriculture probability Feasibility Studies Hispanic Americans oxychlordane chlordane polychlorinated biphenyl 1,1 dichloro 2,2 bis(4 chlorophenyl)ethylene migrant worker Humans Adolescent atrazine female unclassified drug endrin pesticide pregnancy umbilical cord blood Pesticides 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid 2,4,5 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid Article feasibility study Questionnaires Maternal Exposure adult human experiment triazine derivative methoxychlor bromodichloromethane phenoxyacetic acid derivative drug blood level simazine volatile organic compound endosulfan chlorphenotane normal human organochlorine insecticide aldrin Fetal Blood mirex Transients and Migrants 1,1 dichloro 2,2 bis(4 chlorophenyl)ethane herbicide dichlorbenzene lindane drug tissue level prenatal drug exposure unindexed drug placenta drug urine level trimethylbenzene propazine Pilot Projects dieldrin heptachlor toluene Texas