The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review
Abstract Background Despite the growing and widespread use of glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide and desiccant, very few studies have evaluated the extent and amount of human exposure. Objective We review documented levels of human exposure among workers in occupational settings and the general...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12940-018-0435-5 |
| _version_ | 1818249696477446144 |
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| author | Christina Gillezeau Maaike van Gerwen Rachel M. Shaffer Iemaan Rana Luoping Zhang Lianne Sheppard Emanuela Taioli |
| author_facet | Christina Gillezeau Maaike van Gerwen Rachel M. Shaffer Iemaan Rana Luoping Zhang Lianne Sheppard Emanuela Taioli |
| author_sort | Christina Gillezeau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite the growing and widespread use of glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide and desiccant, very few studies have evaluated the extent and amount of human exposure. Objective We review documented levels of human exposure among workers in occupational settings and the general population. Methods We conducted a review of scientific publications on glyphosate levels in humans; 19 studies were identified, of which five investigated occupational exposure to glyphosate, 11 documented the exposure in general populations, and three reported on both. Results Eight studies reported urinary levels in 423 occupationally and para-occupationally exposed subjects; 14 studies reported glyphosate levels in various biofluids on 3298 subjects from the general population. Average urinary levels in occupationally exposed subjects varied from 0.26 to 73.5 μg/L; environmental exposure urinary levels ranged from 0.16 to 7.6 μg/L. Only two studies measured temporal trends in exposure, both of which show increasing proportions of individuals with detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine over time. Conclusions The current review highlights the paucity of data on glyphosate levels among individuals exposed occupationally, para-occupationally, or environmentally to the herbicide. As such, it is challenging to fully understand the extent of exposure overall and in vulnerable populations such as children. We recommend further work to evaluate exposure across populations and geographic regions, apportion the exposure sources (e.g., occupational, household use, food residues), and understand temporal trends. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:40:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c68a2ddbefce4efeb9cc2bb5009cec6f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-069X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T15:40:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c68a2ddbefce4efeb9cc2bb5009cec6f2022-12-22T00:19:55ZengBMCEnvironmental Health1476-069X2019-01-0118111410.1186/s12940-018-0435-5The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a reviewChristina Gillezeau0Maaike van Gerwen1Rachel M. Shaffer2Iemaan Rana3Luoping Zhang4Lianne Sheppard5Emanuela Taioli6Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiInstitute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of WashingtonDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California BerkeleyDivision of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California BerkeleyDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of WashingtonInstitute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiAbstract Background Despite the growing and widespread use of glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide and desiccant, very few studies have evaluated the extent and amount of human exposure. Objective We review documented levels of human exposure among workers in occupational settings and the general population. Methods We conducted a review of scientific publications on glyphosate levels in humans; 19 studies were identified, of which five investigated occupational exposure to glyphosate, 11 documented the exposure in general populations, and three reported on both. Results Eight studies reported urinary levels in 423 occupationally and para-occupationally exposed subjects; 14 studies reported glyphosate levels in various biofluids on 3298 subjects from the general population. Average urinary levels in occupationally exposed subjects varied from 0.26 to 73.5 μg/L; environmental exposure urinary levels ranged from 0.16 to 7.6 μg/L. Only two studies measured temporal trends in exposure, both of which show increasing proportions of individuals with detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine over time. Conclusions The current review highlights the paucity of data on glyphosate levels among individuals exposed occupationally, para-occupationally, or environmentally to the herbicide. As such, it is challenging to fully understand the extent of exposure overall and in vulnerable populations such as children. We recommend further work to evaluate exposure across populations and geographic regions, apportion the exposure sources (e.g., occupational, household use, food residues), and understand temporal trends.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12940-018-0435-5GlyphosateRound-upHerbicidesEnvironmental carcinogensHuman biomonitoringExposure assessment |
| spellingShingle | Christina Gillezeau Maaike van Gerwen Rachel M. Shaffer Iemaan Rana Luoping Zhang Lianne Sheppard Emanuela Taioli The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review Environmental Health Glyphosate Round-up Herbicides Environmental carcinogens Human biomonitoring Exposure assessment |
| title | The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review |
| title_full | The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review |
| title_fullStr | The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review |
| title_short | The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review |
| title_sort | evidence of human exposure to glyphosate a review |
| topic | Glyphosate Round-up Herbicides Environmental carcinogens Human biomonitoring Exposure assessment |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12940-018-0435-5 |
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