Detection of Glyphosate and its metbolite AMPA in the urine of 2- to 6-year children from the German state North Rhine-Westphalia

摘要

Aim: Human biomonitoring studies are effective tools to detect the load on the body with harmful substances. Glyphosate is a non-selective active herbicide ingredient contained in a number of pesticides used worldwide. Currently, various health evaluations of Glyphosate have been published. The question came up, if and to what extent 2- to 6-year old children are exposed to Glyphosate-residues. Methods: Glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA were determined in spot urinary samples of 250 probands attending kindergarten in the German State North Rhine-Westphalia. The urine was collected between December 2014 and Mai 2015 as part of the epidemiological human biomonitoring study program in North Rhine-Westphalia. Additionally, urine collected over a time period of 24 hours was analyzed for 50 probands. Anthropometric data were collected by questionnaires. Results: In 63 % of the samples Glyphosate concentrations were measured above the detection limit of 0.1 ug/L. The median Glyphosate concentration amounted to 0.14 ug/L and the 95th percentile was 0.97 μg/L. Based on the urinary concentration a daily intake was back calculated and compared to the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 0.5 mg per kg body weight per day derived newly by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). The estimated daily Glyphosate intake amounted to 0.004 % and the maximum to 0.11 % of this ADI. Thus, health related effects are presumably not expected for the measured urinary Glyphosate concentrations. For AMPA, 58 % of the samples were above the limit of determination, with median concentration of 0.13 μg/L and a 95th percentile of 0.44 ug/L. The urinary concentrations of Glyphosate and AMPA did not display a strong correlation suggesting different exposure sources. Furthermore, spot urinary samples were compared to corresponding 24 h urinary samples (n = 50). The results display that the first morning urine is an appropriate survey parameter to evaluate the daily intake of Glyphosate residues. Conclusion: This study is the first epidemiological study determining the Glyphosate exposure to 2- to 6-year children worldwide. Although, the results showing no presumably expected health effects, it is undeniable, that there is a quantifiable Glyphosate body burden in the examined children.