Exposure to non-persistent pesticides and sexual maturation of Spanish adolescent males

Francesca Castiello; Beatriz Suárez; José Gómez-Vida; Maties Torrent; Mariana F Fernández; Nicolás Olea; Carmen Freire

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138350

Exposure to non-persistent pesticides and sexual maturation of Spanish adolescent males

Chemosphere. 2023 May:324:138350. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138350. Epub 2023 Mar 10.

Authors

Francesca Castiello¹, Beatriz Suárez², José Gómez-Vida³, Maties Torrent⁴, Mariana F Fernández⁵, Nicolás Olea⁵, Carmen Freire⁶

Affiliations

¹ Pediatrics Unit, Hospital de Alta Resolución de Guadix, 18500, Guadix, Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain.
² Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
³ Pediatrics Unit, San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital, 18016, Granada, Spain.
⁴ Àrea de Salut de Menorca, IB-SALUT, Menorca, Spain.
⁵ Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016, Granada, Spain; Biomedical Research Centre (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016, Granada, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
⁶ Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Biomedical Research Centre (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016, Granada, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: cfreire@ugr.es.

PMID: 36907483
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138350

Abstract

Background: Several non-persistent pesticides are endocrine disrupting chemicals and may impact on sexual maturation.

Objective: To examine the association between urinary biomarkers of non-persistent pesticides and sexual maturation in adolescent males in the Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project.

Methods: The metabolites of several pesticides were measured in spot urine samples collected from 201 boys aged 14-17 years, including: 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), metabolite of chlorpyrifos; 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (IMPy), metabolite of diazinon; malathion diacid (MDA), metabolite of malathion; diethyl thiophosphate (DETP) and diethyl dithiophosphate, non-specific metabolites of organophosphates; 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and dimethyl cyclopropane carboxylic acid, metabolites of pyrethroids; 1-naphthol (1-NPL), metabolite of carbaryl; and ethylene thiourea (ETU), metabolite of dithiocarbamate fungicides. Sexual maturation was assessed using Tanner stages, self-reported Pubertal Development Scale, and testicular volume (TV). Multivariate logistic regression was employed to examine associations between urinary pesticide metabolites and the odds of being in Tanner stage 5 of genital development (G5) or pubic hair growth (PH5); stage ≥4 of overall pubertal development, gonadarche, and adrenarche; or having mature TV (≥25 mL).

Results: DETP concentrations>75th percentile (P75) were associated with lower odds of being in stage G5 (OR = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.10-0.70), detectable TCPy with lower odds of gonadal stage≥4 (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.26-0.96), and intermediate detectable MDA concentrations (<P75) with lower odds of adrenal stage≥4 (OR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.11-0.94). Conversely, detectable concentrations of 1-NPL were associated with higher odds of adrenal stage≥4 (OR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.30-5.24) but lower odds of mature TV (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.19-0.90).

Conclusion: Exposure to certain pesticides may be associated with delayed sexual maturity in adolescent males.

Keywords: Adrenarche; Endocrine disruption; Gonadarche; Non-persistent pesticides; Sexual maturation.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Chlorpyrifos*
Environmental Exposure
Humans
Malathion
Male
Pesticides* / urine
Pyridines
Sexual Maturation

Substances

Pesticides
Malathion
O,O-diethyl phosphorothionate
Chlorpyrifos
Pyridines
3-phenoxybenzoic acid