BMH-Agri

Biomonitoring of Walloon farmers

Formulaire d’inscription agriculteurs

Pesticides are among the most worrying substances for the environment and for humans. They have been continuously present in our environment for decades, and are now everywhere, in cities and the countryside, outside and inside buildings. Since the ’80s, an increasing number of scientific studies have shown that pesticides can cause serious health effects, such as cancer, damage to the central nervous system, effects on reproductive functions and development, and endocrine disruption.

Numerous studies carried out in Wallonia aim to assess the exposure of the general population to pesticides(EXPOPESTEN, PROPULPPP, BMH-Wal). However, we have no data on pesticide exposure among professional users of these products, particularly farmers, a group that is a priori more exposed to these substances than the general population.

Study objectives

As part of the^3rd Walloon Pesticide Reduction Program (PWRP3), ISSeP is in charge of a project that aims to ” Objectivate the exposure of professional pesticide users to these products “, abbreviated as “BMH-Agri”.

Farmers’ exposure to plant protection products (PPPs) will be assessed via a human biomonitoring study. The data obtained from this human biomonitoring of Walloon farmers will be used to answer a number of questions:

• are farmers more exposed to PPPs through their professional activities?
  • than the general Walloon population?
  • than farmers in other countries?
• is this exposure seasonal?
• is this exhibition similar from one year to the next?

The study of PPP impregnations in farmers will enable us to assess whether their activities lead to higher exposure to these pollutants than the general population, and therefore to higher potential health risks. Where appropriate, recommendations for reducing this exposure will be put forward, with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of life of this target audience.

What is human biomonitoring?

Human biomonitoring (BMH) is a study which involves assessing the impregnation of the population with chemical substances (or their metabolites) by measuring their concentrations in human biological matrices (urine, blood, hair, etc.). It makes it possible to take into account all sources and routes of exposure, and thus to obtain a true, global estimate of people’s exposure to these chemicals.

Methodology

In BMH-Agri, several URINE samples will be collected from participating farmers during and outside the pesticide spraying period. Pesticides present in the urine will then be analyzed to determine the farmers’ impregnations.

At the same time, a questionnaire will be completed by participants to gather information on professional practices, lifestyle habits, diet, the home, etc. On the basis of this complementary survey, exposure determinants (associations between potential sources of pesticide exposure and the level of impregnation) will be sought.