{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T11:21:03Z","timestamp":1789730463694,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,2]],"date-time":"2022-06-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1654128000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) by the Ministry of Education Malaysia","award":["FRGS\/1\/2018\/SKK06\/UPM\/02\/23"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FRGS\/1\/2018\/SKK06\/UPM\/02\/23"]}]},{"name":"Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) by the Ministry of Education Malaysia","award":["GP-IPS\/2021\/9702100"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GP-IPS\/2021\/9702100"]}]},{"name":"Universiti Putra Malaysia","award":["FRGS\/1\/2018\/SKK06\/UPM\/02\/23"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FRGS\/1\/2018\/SKK06\/UPM\/02\/23"]}]},{"name":"Universiti Putra Malaysia","award":["GP-IPS\/2021\/9702100"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GP-IPS\/2021\/9702100"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Pesticides manage pests and diseases in agriculture, but they harm the health of agricultural workers. Concentrations of thirteen pesticides were determined in personal air and blood serum of 85 paddy farmers and 85 non-farmers, thereafter associated with health symptoms. Method: Samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS\/MS). Results: The median concentration of pesticides in personal air samples ranged from 10.69 to 188.49 ng\/m3 for farmers and from 5.79 to 73.66 ng\/m3 for non-farmers. The median concentration of pesticides in blood serum was from 58.27 to 210.12 ng\/mL for farmers and 47.83 to 62.74 ng\/mL for non-farmers. Concentration of eleven pesticides in personal air and twelve pesticides in blood serum were significantly higher in farmers than non-farmers (p &lt; 0.05). All pesticides detected in personal air correlated significantly with concentration in the blood serum of farmers (p &lt; 0.05). Health symptoms reported by farmers were dizziness (49.4%), nausea (47.1%), cough (35.3%), chest pain (30.6%), breathing difficulty (23.5%), sore throat (22.4%), vomiting (18.8%), phlegm (16.5%), and wheezing (15.3%). Concentration of pesticides in personal air, blood serum, and health symptoms were not significantly associated. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to pesticides significantly contaminates blood serum of farmers compared to non-farmers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19116806","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,2]],"date-time":"2022-06-02T11:05:02Z","timestamp":1654167902000},"page":"6806","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Exposure to Airborne Pesticides and Its Residue in Blood Serum of Paddy Farmers in Malaysia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Siti Khairunnisaq","family":"Rudzi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6517-0201","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yu Bin","family":"Ho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5711-4808","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eugenie Sin Sing","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Healthy Aging, Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7910-6945","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juliana","family":"Jalaludin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patimah","family":"Ismail","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Department of Statistic Malaysia (2020, December 28). Selected Agriculture Indicators, Malaysia, Available online: https:\/\/www.dosm.gov.my\/v1\/index.php?r=column\/cthemeByCat&cat=72&bul_id=RXVKUVJ5TitHM0cwYWxlOHcxU3dKdz09&menu_id=Z0VTZGU1UHBUT1VJMFlpaXRRR0xpdz09."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"19","article-title":"The Use of Pesticides in Agriculture Area, Cameron Highlands","volume":"15","author":"Mispan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Sci. Prog. Res."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"600","DOI":"10.1080\/03601234.2011.589309","article-title":"Pesticide Risk Assessment: A Study on Inhalation and Dermal Exposure to 2,4-D and Paraquat among Malaysian Paddy Farmers","volume":"46","author":"Baharuddin","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Environ. Sci. Health B"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1371\/annotation\/b7bc0625-6200-4433-9971-f4e571203432","article-title":"Adverse Respiratory Health and Hematological Alterations among Agricultural Workers Occupationally Exposed to Organophosphate Pesticides: A Cross-Sectional Study in North India","volume":"8","author":"Fareed","year":"2013","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.15272\/ajbps.v4i35.565","article-title":"Adverse Health Effects of Organophosphate Pesticides among Occupationally Exposed Farm Sprayers: A Case Study of Bhopal Madhya Pradesh, India","volume":"4","author":"Choudhary","year":"2014","journal-title":"Asian J. Biomed. Pharm. Sci."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"508","DOI":"10.1080\/09603123.2014.980781","article-title":"Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and Resultant Health Problems among Cotton Farmers of Punjab, Pakistan","volume":"25","author":"Khan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Health Res."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1402","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph8051402","article-title":"Pesticide Exposure, Safety Issues, and Risk Assessment Indicators","volume":"8","author":"Damalas","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Damalas, C.A., and Koutroubas, S.D. (2016). Farmers\u2019 Exposure to Pesticides: Toxicity Types and Ways of Prevention. Toxics, 4.","DOI":"10.3390\/toxics4010001"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6442","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph10126442","article-title":"Occupational Pesticide Exposures and Respiratory Health","volume":"10","author":"Ye","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Larramendy, M.L., and Soloneski, S. (2016). Pesticides, Environmental Pollution, and Health. Environmental Health Risk-Hazardous Factors to Living Species, IntechOpen.","DOI":"10.5772\/61472"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Department of Standards Malaysia (2012). The Safe Handling of Agricultural Pesticides\u2014Code of Recommended Practice (First Revision) (Malaysian Standard MS 479:2012), Malaysian Standard."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.06.096","article-title":"Occurrence of Commonly Used Pesticides in Personal Air Samples and Their Associated Health Risk among Paddy Farmers","volume":"603\u2013604","author":"Hamsan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.15171\/ijoem.2016.705","article-title":"Genotoxicity Following Organophosphate Pesticides Exposure among Orang Asli Children Living in an Agricultural Island in Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia","volume":"7","author":"Sutris","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Occup. Environ. Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-018-6762-8","article-title":"Fate, Distribution, and Bioconcentration of Pesticides Impact on the Organic Farms of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia","volume":"190","author":"Farina","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Monit. Assess."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3703","DOI":"10.1007\/s10653-020-00604-4","article-title":"Occurrence and Potential Risk of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Urbanised Linggi River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia","volume":"42","author":"Zainuddin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Geochem. Health"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"937","article-title":"Validation and Quantitative Analysis of Cadmium and Lead in Snake Fruit by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry","volume":"19","author":"Eka","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. Food Res. J."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"362","DOI":"10.1289\/ehp.96104362","article-title":"The Agricultural Health Study","volume":"104","author":"Alavanja","year":"1996","journal-title":"Environ. Health Perspect."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0133382","article-title":"Pesticide Use and Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length in the Agricultural Health Study","volume":"10","author":"Andreotti","year":"2015","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"919","DOI":"10.1289\/ehp.1206432","article-title":"Lifetime Pesticide Use and Telomere Shortening among Male Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study","volume":"121","author":"Hou","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Health Perspect."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"897","DOI":"10.1016\/S0261-2194(01)00039-4","article-title":"Pesticide Use in Rice and Rice\u2013Fish Farms in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam","volume":"20","author":"Berg","year":"2001","journal-title":"Crop Prot."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10642","DOI":"10.1021\/jf403169t","article-title":"Assessment of the Exposure of Workers to the Insecticide Imidacloprid during Application on Various Field Crops by a Hand- Held Power Sprayer","volume":"61","author":"Choi","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3550","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jafc.8b00094","article-title":"Validation of a Multiresidue Analysis Method for 379 Pesticides in Human Serum Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry","volume":"66","author":"Shin","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127333","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2020.127333","article-title":"Qualitative Assessment of 27 Current-Use Pesticides in Air at 20 Sampling Sites across Africa","volume":"258","author":"Fuhrimann","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2016.01.040","article-title":"Long-Term Exposure of Rabbits to Imidaclorpid as Quantified in Blood Induces Genotoxic Effect","volume":"149","author":"Stivaktakis","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Health and Safety Executive (2017, July 25). Pesticides in Air and on Surfaces, Available online: https:\/\/www.hse.gov.uk\/pubns\/mdhs\/pdfs\/mdhs94-2.pdf."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC (2021, February 08). QUADRIS TOP Material Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/www.agrian.com\/pdfs\/Quadris_Top_MSDS2.pdf."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Agriculture Chemicals (2021, February 08). Sogatox-M Safety Data Sheet. Available online: http:\/\/agrichem.com.my\/pdf\/msds\/crop_care_and_environmental_science_products\/insecticide\/Sogatox-M.pdf."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Syngenta Canada, Inc. (2021, February 08). Altriset Termiticide Material Safety Data Sheet. Available online: www.syngentacropprotection.com\u203albldownloadSaveAs%0A."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd. (2021, February 08). Maxforce\u00ae Gold Gel Insecticide Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/sds.rentokil-initial.com\/sds\/files\/AU-Rentokil-Maxforce_Gold_Gel_Insecticide_SDS-EN-SDS_01_GHS.pdf."},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"Bayer CropScience Pty Ltd. (2021, February 08). Maxforce\u00ae Fusion Cockroach Gel Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/resources.bayer.com.au\/resources\/uploads\/msds\/file12009.pdf."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2021, February 08). Permissible Exposure Limits\u2014Annotated Table Z-3, Available online: https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/annotated-pels\/table-z-3."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Repar Corporation (2021, February 08). Propiconazole 3.6 EC Fungicide Material Safety Data Sheet. Available online: http:\/\/www.reparcorp.com\/pdf\/msds\/Propiconazole-3.6-EC-MSDS.pdf."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Syngenta Canada, Inc. (2021, February 08). FULFILL \u00ae 50WG Insecticide Material Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/assets.syngenta.ca\/pdf\/ca\/msds\/Fulfill_50WG_27274_en_msds.pdf."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. (2021, February 08). Tricyclazole Reference Material Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/www.ajcsd.org\/chrip_search\/dt\/pdf\/CI_01_202\/W01W0120-1911JGHEEN.PDF."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Bayer CropScience (2021, February 08). FLINT\u00ae FUNGICIDE Safety Data Sheet. Available online: https:\/\/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/www.agrian.com\/pdfs\/Flint_Fungicide_MSDS1e.pdf."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Simeonov, L.I., Macaev, F.Z., and Simeonova, B.G. (2013). Health Effects Associated with Acute and Chronic Exposure to Pesticides. Environmental Security Assessment and Management of Obsolete Pesticides in Southeast Europe, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-007-6461-3"},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Kruger, G.R., Klein, R.N., Ogg, C.L., and Vieira, B.C. (2020, October 17). Sray Drift of Pesticides. Available online: https:\/\/extensionpublications.unl.edu\/assets\/html\/g1773\/build\/g1773.htm."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-021-08964-9","article-title":"Assessment of Respiratory Exposure to Cypermethrin among Farmers and Farm Workers of Shiraz, Iran","volume":"193","author":"Behnami","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Monit. Assess."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.02.086","article-title":"Pesticide Exposure in the Local Community of Vehari District in Pakistan: An Assessment of Knowledge and Residues in Human Blood","volume":"587\u2013588","author":"Saeed","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109558","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envres.2020.109558","article-title":"Assessment of Genetic Effects and Pesticide Exposure of Farmers in NW Greece","volume":"186","author":"Moshou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Res."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Leili, M., Ghafiuri-Khosroshahi, A., Poorolajal, J., Samiee, F., Smadi, M.T., and Bahrami, A. (2022). Pesticide Residues Levels as Hematological Biomarkers\u2014a Case Study, Blood Serum of Greenhouse Workers in the City of Hamadan, Iran. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 1\u201314.","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-021-17637-6"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"701","DOI":"10.1089\/thy.2010.0449","article-title":"Thyroid Function Tests in Persons with Occupational Exposure to Fipronil","volume":"21","author":"Herin","year":"2011","journal-title":"Thyroid"},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"666","article-title":"Determination of Pesticide Residues in Blood Samples of Villagers Involved in Pesticide Application at District Vehari ( Punjab ), Pakistan","volume":"4","author":"Hayat","year":"2010","journal-title":"African J. Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"530","DOI":"10.1007\/s00244-018-0545-7","article-title":"Nonoccupational Exposure of Agricultural Area Residents to Pesticides: Pesticide Accumulation and Evaluation of Genotoxicity","volume":"75","author":"Tozkir","year":"2018","journal-title":"Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1289\/ehp.5768","article-title":"Contemporary-Use Pesticides in Personal Air Samples during Pregnancy and Blood Samples at Delivery among Urban Minority Mothers and Newborns","volume":"111","author":"Whyatt","year":"2003","journal-title":"Environ. Health Perspect."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2014.00006","article-title":"Pesticides and Asthma: Challenges for Epidemiology","volume":"2","author":"Amaral","year":"2014","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nuro, A. (2021). Limited Knowledge and Unsafe Practices in Usage of Pesticides and The Associated Toxicity Symptoms among Farmers in Tullo and Finchawa Rural Kebeles, Hawassa City, Sidama Regional State, Southern Ethiopia. Emerging Contaminants, IntechOpen.","DOI":"10.5772\/intechopen.87857"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141893","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2020.141893","article-title":"Multi-Biomarker Responses to Pesticides in an Agricultural Population from Central Brazil","volume":"754","author":"Ramos","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1080\/19338244.2013.853646","article-title":"Pesticides, Gene Polymorphisms, and Bladder Cancer among Egyptian Agricultural Workers","volume":"70","author":"Amr","year":"2015","journal-title":"Arch. Environ. Occup. Health"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"544","DOI":"10.1289\/EHP456","article-title":"Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and the Incidence of Lung Cancer in the Agricultural Health Study","volume":"125","author":"Bonner","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Health Perspect."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxlet.2014.01.029","article-title":"Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and Consequences on Male Semen and Fertility: A Review","volume":"230","author":"Mehrpour","year":"2014","journal-title":"Toxicol. Lett."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tox.2013.04.006","article-title":"Emerging Health Issues from Chronic Pesticide Exposure: Innovative Methodologies and Effects on Molecular Cell and Tissue Level","volume":"307","author":"Colosio","year":"2013","journal-title":"Toxicology"},{"key":"ref_53","first-page":"65","article-title":"The Impact Of Pesticides On Paddy Farmers And Ecosystem","volume":"6","author":"Fuad","year":"2012","journal-title":"Adv. Nat. Appl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.1136\/thoraxjnl-2016-208924","article-title":"Occupational Pesticide Exposure and Respiratory Health: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study in Three Commercial Farming Systems in Ethiopia","volume":"72","author":"Negatu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Thorax"},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1196\/annals.1371.044","article-title":"Pesticides and Adult Respiratory Outcomes in the Agricultural Health Study","volume":"1076","author":"Hoppin","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/11\/6806\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:23:45Z","timestamp":1760138625000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/11\/6806"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,2]]},"references-count":55,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph19116806"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph19116806","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,2]]}}}