Brief discussion of the implication of two articles concerning pesticide use in vegetable production in Cambodia and effects on pesticide resiues in market vegetables.

1. 2 Research Articles on Pesticide Related Issues in CambodiaYearend 2010/2011 Winfried Scheewe/COrAA - PRN Meeting 28/02/2011

2. Pesticide Use and Self-Reported Symptoms of Acute Pesticide Poisoning among Aquatic Farmers in Phnom Penh, Cambodiaby Hanne K. Jensen et al. Prevalence and Persistence of Organophosphate and Carbamate Pesticides in Cambodian Market Vegetables byD.S.G. Neufeld et al.

3. Pesticide Use among Aquatic Farmers Phnom Penh Post, 11 January 2011

4. Some Findings Frequent use of the most toxic insecticides based on the WHO classification Ia + Ib which are, respectively, extremely and highly hazardous and Class II which are moderately hazardous Both classes are banned or have restricted use in Cambodia

5. Insecticides used by 93 households in Boeung Cheung Ek Lake

6. Personal protective measures adapted by 89 farmers in relation to spraying pesticides in Boeung Cheung EK Lake Some Findings (2)

7. Pesticides Residues in Vegetables Research Article: Prevalence and Persistence of Organophosphate and Carbamate Pesticides in Cambodian Market Vegetables D.S.G. Neufeld*, H. Savoeun1, C. Phoeurk1, A. Glick2 and C. Hernandez3 Department of Biology, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA 1Department of Chemistry, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia 2Department of Chemistry, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA 3Department of Chemistry, Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York, USA Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 89-98. Probably the first research article on Pesticide residues in Cambodian Market Vegetables

8. Carbamate insecticides kill insects by reversibly inactivating the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. They are relatively unstable compounds that break down in the environment within weeks or months.

9. Organophosphates Examples Insecticides including malathion, parathion, diazinon, fenthion, dichlorvos, chlorpyrifos, ethion Herbicides including tribufos [DEF] One of the products of the reaction of Fc2P2S4 with dimethylcyanamide

10. Concerns of the Study Widespread use of pesticides on vegetable crops Likely that vegetables sold in Cambodian markets could contain pesticide residues … … but very little information available on actual levels of pesticides

11. Pesticide measurements generally require special skills and equipment Cambodia has lacked the capacity to conduct regular monitoring critical information on the prevalence of pesticide residues is lacking Concerns of the Study

12. Second round:screening test indi-catedpresence of pesticide residue in 88% of curly-leafed kale, 95% of white-stemmed kale and 93% of Chinese broccoli samples Results of the study Long bean shows the fewest responses for pesticides residue, with no samples showing unsafe levels

13. Two rounds of screening indicate that Consumers are regularly exposed to pesticide residues in local vegetables Significant variation in levels of pesticide residues Results of the study

14. Farm Trials for OP/C Sprayed on Water Spinach  confirm a clear trend in methyl parathion disappearance Results of the study

15. Pesticide residues are widespread in market vegetables Consumers are likely exposed to these pesticide residues, although the Screening tests used in this study do not indicate the level of health risk associated with the residues in market vegetables Conclusion (1)

16. Need to consider both toxicity and persistence in assessing the impacts associated with residues on vegetables Conclusion (2)

17. Contexts: lower resources and capacity Screening of vegetable samples with simpler test methods (such as the cholinesterase inhibition assay) coupled with targeted analysis of samples of concern can … … provide information about prevalence and magnitude of residues, at a lower investment of resources and time Conclusion (3) Appropriate pesticide monitoring strategy

18. Effects Recent Findings on Effects Exposure to organophosphates chronic fatigue symptoms A 2010 study: Organophosphate exposure is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease Organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, (used on fruits and vegetables)  delays in learning rates, reduced physical coordination, and behavioral problems in children

19. Effects Recent Findings on Effects Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) A 2010 study:organophosphate exposure is associated with an increased risk of ADHD in children.organophosphate residues in the urine of children aged 8 to 15 years old: those with the highest levels of dialkyl phosphates – a breakdown product of organo-phosphate pesticides - also had the highest incidence of ADHD

20. Recent Findings on Effects Scientists from University of London’s Centre for Toxicology found: 30 out of 37 pesticides blocked or mimicked male hormones, including 16 that had no known hormonal activity until now.