Occupational Exposure to Mixed Pesticides in Northern West Bengal Tea Gardens: Impact on Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Markers Among Female Tea Pluckers

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Authors

  • Ananya Bose
     Department of Physiology, Serampore College, Hooghly - 712201, West Bengal ,IN
  • Sudipta Kundu
     Department of Physiology, Kalka Dental College, Meerut - 250006, Uttar Pradesh ,IN
  • Oly Banerjee
     Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Swami Vivekananda University, Bara Kanthalia - 700121, West Bengal ,IN
  • Siddhartha Singh
     Department of Physiology, Serampore College, Hooghly - 712201, West Bengal ,IN
  • Ranajit Mandal
     Department of Pathology, Bhatpara State General Hospital, Jagatdal - 743125, West Bengal ,IN
  • Bithin Kumar Maji
     Department of Physiology, Serampore College, Hooghly - 712201, West Bengal ,IN
  • Anindita Banerjee
     Department of Physiology, Serampore College, 9 William Carey Road, Hooghly-712201, West Bengal. ,IN
  • Sandip Mukherjee
     Department of Physiology, Serampore College, Hooghly - 712201, West Bengal ,IN

Keywords:

Acetylcholinesterase, Antioxidant Enzyme, Female Tea Plucker, Oxidative Stress, Occupational Exposure, Pesticide

Abstract

Due to the potential health impacts of pesticides, biomonitoring of pesticide exposure is currently a subject of significant public interest. The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the levels of oxidative stress in female tea pluckers who are vulnerable to being exposed to a combination of pesticides in the northern part of West Bengal, India. Data were collected from 82 permanent female tea pluckers of two tea gardens in Jalpaiguri district and 68 women from the general population not directly exposed to the pesticides but living in the same geographical area. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), Catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity were measured, and levels of Lipid Peroxidation (LPO) and Nitric Oxide (NO) were determined in plasma. The student’s t-test analyzed the disparity between the exposed and non-exposed groups. Correlation coefficient analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between AChE and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Compared to the control group plasma AChE activity was significantly decreased (17.42%) among female tea pluckers (p≤0.001). In comparison to the control group, female tea pluckers showed a significant increase in LPO and NO levels as markers of oxidative stress, as well as a significant decrease in GSH levels. Enzymatic antioxidants SOD and CAT were significantly reduced in the exposed group. Significant correlations were observed between AChE and biomarkers of oxidative stress. In conclusion, the alterations in different biochemical parameters indicate that female tea pluckers were occupationally exposed to mixed pesticides (containing organophosphates) in tea gardens. It is therefore imperative to highlight the usage of personal protective equipment by the pluckers and environmentally friendly pesticide alternatives in the tea gardens. Additional research is recommended to connect our results with the negative health impacts seen in chronic pesticide exposure, in which oxidative damage is believed to be a key factor.

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Published

2024-08-26

How to Cite

Bose, A., Kundu, S., Banerjee, O., Singh, S., Mandal, R., Maji, B. K., Banerjee, A., & Mukherjee, S. (2024). Occupational Exposure to Mixed Pesticides in Northern West Bengal Tea Gardens: Impact on Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Markers Among Female Tea Pluckers. Journal of Ecophysiology and Occupational Health, 1–11. Retrieved from https://informaticsjournals.com/index.php/JEOH/article/view/43442

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Online First

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Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2024 Ananya Bose, Sudipta Kundu, Oly Banerjee, Siddhartha Singh, Ranajit Mandal, Bithin Kumar Maji, Anindita Banerjee, Sandip Mukherjee

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Received 2024-04-03
Accepted 2024-06-21
Published 2024-08-26

 

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