POEM model application feasibility with Diazinon poison with using from cholinesterase activity level measurement of farmers in the west of Iran

Introduction: The most common of farmers' occupational exposure is exposure to pesticides. Organophosphate pesticides (OP) are widely used in agriculture to control pests. The main mechanism of Organophosphates (OPs) toxicity is irreversibly inhibiting of Butyl cholinesterase and acetyl cholinesterase. POEM model (Predictive Operator Exposure Model) was made to assess exposure and absorption of the pesticides. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of exposure of farmers in West of Iran to organophosphates with POEM model and to compare its results with activity level of plasma cholinesterase (PChE). Methods and Materials: In this descriptive and analytical research, farmers were divided into two same groups who were exposed to diazinon. One group of them wore full personal protective equipment (PPEs) and the second group including farmers with daily routine work had no proposed personal protective equipment. Before and after spraying operation, a blood sample was collected from both groups of farmers, as well as from control group. Then plasma cholinesterase activity was measured by DGKC (German Biochemical Society) and photometric device. Farmer’s exposure to OPs was estimated with POEM model. Results: The activity mean PChE enzyme in the groups with and without personal protective equipment was 11639.3 mg/l and 8516.3 mg/l, respectively. The mean of predicted total absorbed dose and predicted total exposure to toxic substance in group with PPEs was 9.1 mg/day and 0.15 mg/kgbw/day, respectively and in group with PPEs were 0.5 mg/day and 0.009 mg/kgbw/day, respectively. dermal exposure average, percentage of dermal absorption, absorbed dose at the time of preparing the poison solution and spraying, by using of the POEM model was significantly higher in the no PPE group than in the PPE group (P<0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that the use of personal protective equipment prevents from the effects appearing of pesticides by reducing the activity of PChE. With the increasing in PChE activity, the values of POEM model parameters decreases such as the absorbed dose of the skin and the inhalation of the toxin. Therefore, the POEM model can be used to check the exposure of people with pesticides. Finally, this study suggests that from the POEM model can be considered as a screening tool to identify individuals at exposure of pesticides to the next steps for biological monitoring, diagnosis and treatment and … .