SVIBOR - Project code: 3-01-132

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Project code: 3-01-132


PESTICIDES: MECHANISM OF ACTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN THE BIOSPHERE


Main researcher: REINER, ELSA (40695)


Assistants
Type of research: basic
Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/94.
Papers on project (total): 165
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 42
Institution name: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb (22)
Department/Institute: Laboratory of Biochemistry Laboratory of Organic Analytical Chemistry
Address: Ksaverska cesta 2
City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Communication
Phone: 385 (0) 1 434188
Phone: 385 (0) 1 273132
Fax: 385 (0) 1 274572
E-mail: VERA.SIMEON@X400.IRB.HR
E-mail: ZLATKO.FROBE@X400.IRB.HR
Summary: The project has five parts. The mechanism of interaction of human serum cholinesterase and its genetic variants, as well as of the native and mutant acetylcholinesterase of T. californica was studied with substrates and inhibitors. Phenotyping of serum cholinesterases was done for a group of healthy individuals from Zagreb, and the reproducibility of phenotyping evaluated. The specificity of phosphoric triester hydrolases was studied in human sera from healthy individuals, from individuals with lipid and/or glucose metabolism disorders, and from elderly demented patients. The number of enzymes hydrolysing paraoxon, beta-naphthylacetate and phenylacetate was evaluated, and their calcium requirement established. The kinetics of excretion of organophosphorus compounds was studied in accidentally poisoned individuals by measuring levels of the parent compound and its metabolites in urine and blood. Metabolites in the urine proved to be a more sensitive indicator of absorption than blood cholinesterase inhibition. The mechanism of delayed neurotoxicity of organophosphorus compounds was studied in experimental animals (hen, rat). Monitoring of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in human milk and serum, and chlorophenols in human urine, was conducted in population groups from Croatia. Levels were similar to those reported for west-European countries. The origin and levels of organochlorine and triazinic pesticides, PCB and chlorophenols were studied in aqueous media (surface, ground and drinking water, snow and rainwater); some physico-chemical parameters were investigated which affect their distribution between the solid and aqueous phase. The biodegradation of PCB with mixed bacterial cultures isolated from the river Sava was studied. Scientists from the project organized the "Second International Meeting on Esterases Hydrolysing Organophosphorus Compounds" in 1992; the papers in extenso were published in a special issue of Chemico-Biological Interactions. During the present war the scientists from the project worked out a field test for detecting organophosphorus compounds in drinking water; the test reagents were assembled by "Pliva". The field-kit has been succesfully used by the Croatian Army and Croatian health service authorities. For the Croatian Army, samples of soil, water and oil from vehicles were tested for contamination with pesticides and PCB. The efficiency of charcoal to remove pesticides from drinking water was tested in collaboration with the Croatian Army Sanitary Headquarter. The described results were published in 46 papers in scientific journals (42 in journals cited in CC), 24 papers in proceedings and books, 9 reports and 53 communications; furthermore, the project theme was comprised in 2 books, 13 invited lectures and 8 theses.

Keywords: Pesticides, Organophosphorus compounds, Organochlorine compounds, Polychlorinated biphenyls, PCB, Triazinic compounds, Biochemistry, Analytical chemistry, Toxicology, Monitoring of pesticides in water and wet depositions, Monitoring of pesticides in human milk, serum and urine, Serum cholinesterase phenotypes, Human serum phosphoric triester hydrolases, Blood cholinesterases, Inhibition of esterases with organophosphorus compounds, Inhibition of esterases with EDTA, Classification of esterases, Pharmacokinetics of organophosphorus compounds in humans, Sorption behaviour of pesticides in soil and sediments, Biodegradation of PCB by mixed bacterial cultures.

Research goals: The project has five parts. In part one, the aim was to obtain information on the frequency of serum cholinesterase phenotypes in population groups from Croatia and to evaluate the catalytic properties of phenotypes with respect to the enzyme primarystructure. In part two, the aim was to evaluate the specificity of phosphoric triester hydrolases with respect to organophosphorus compounds and some carboxylic acid esters, and to evaluate the enzyme activities as possible markers of glucose and/or lipid metabolism disorders. In part three, the aim was to evaluate biological markers for human absorption of organophosphorus compounds (cholinesterase inhibition, levels of metabolites) and to investigate the pharmacokinetics of these compounds in accidentally exposed individuals. In part four, the aim was to measure levels of organochlorine pesticides and PCB in human milk and serum, to evaluate the intake of these compounds by breast-fed infants, and to measure chlorophenols in human urine as further indicators of exposure to organochlorine compounds. In part five, the aim was to investigate levels and origins of organochlorine and triazinic pesticides, chlorophenols and PCB in aqueos media, and to evaluate factors which affect partition of those compounds between aqueos and solid phase. The elimination of persistent organochlorine pollutants from water by biodegradation was also investigated.

COOPERATION - PROJECTS


  1. Name of project: 3-01-185: KRONOBIOLOGIJA STARAČKE DEMENCIJE
    Name of institution: Zavod za psihijatrijska istraživanja kliničke psihijatrijske bolnice Vrapče
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  2. Name of project: 3-01-131: OCJENA UKUPNE IZLOŽENOSTI LJUDI ONEČIŠĆENJIMA U OKOLINI
    Name of institution: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  3. Name of project: 3G0A6A: ESTERASES AND ORGANOPHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
    Name of institution: Institut fr Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie Georg-August Universit„t G”ttingen i Friedrich Ebert Krankenhaus Neumnster
    City: G”ttingen i Neumnster, Njemačka

  4. Name of project: ALIS 1995: CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF HUMAN SERUM CHOLINESTERASE VARIANTS
    Name of institution: St. James's University Hospital, Department of Chemical Pathology
    City: LS9 7TF - Leeds, Engleska

  5. Name of project: JF250 i JF251: MONITORING OF ORGANOCHLORINE COMPOUNDS IN CONIFEROUS TREES AND AMBIENT AIR, AND IN HUMAN MILK
    Name of institution: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    City: NC 27711 - Research Triangle Park,NC, SAD

  6. Name of project: RZ Alpe-Jadran MONITORING OF ORGANOCHLORINE COMPOUNDS IN THE BIOSPHERE
    Name of institution: Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Rep. Slovenije, Centro internazionale per la sicurezza degli antiparassitary i Pannon agricultural university - Faculty of animal science
    City: Ljubljana,Milano,Kaposvar, Slovenija,Italija,Mađarsk

  7. Name of project: WHO-Copenhagen: LEVELS OF PCBs, PCDDs AND PCDFs IN BREAST MILK
    Name of institution: WHO - Regional Office for Europe
    City: Copenhagen, Danska

  8. Name of project: COST 66: FATE OF PESTICIDES IN THE SOIL AND THE ENVIRONMENT
    Name of institution: European Commission, Directorate-General XII, Science, Research and Developement
    City: Bruxelles, Belgija

COOPERATION - INSTITUTIONS


  1. Name of institution: "ZGO" javno poduzeće za gospodarenje otpadom i zaštitu okoliša
    Type of institution: Other
    Type of cooperation: Systematic exchange of information
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  2. Name of institution: Bundesinstitut fr gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutz und Veterin„rmedizin
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Joint project
    City: Berlin, Njemačka

  3. Name of institution: Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Occasional exchange of experts
    City: San Diego-La Jolla, SAD

  4. Name of institution: Eidgen”ssische Anstalt fr Wasserversorgung, Abwasserreinigung und Gew„sserschutz (EAWAG)
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Systematic exchange of information
    City: Dbendorf, Švicarska

  5. Name of institution: Istituto di Medicina del Lavoro Universita di Padova
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Occasional exchange of experts
    City: Padova, Italija

  6. Name of institution: Medicinski centar Sisak
    Type of institution: Institution whose primary activities ar
    Type of cooperation: Occasional exchange of information
    City: 44000 - Sisak, Croatia

  7. Name of institution: Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Occasional exchange of information
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  8. Name of institution: Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Systematic exchange of information
    City: Lillestrom, Norveška

  9. Name of institution: Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Joint publishing of scientific papers
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  10. Name of institution: Rijksinstituut voor Volksgesondheit en Milieuhygiene
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Joint project
    City: Bilthoven, Nizozemska

  11. Name of institution: Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Joint publishing of scientific papers
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  12. Name of institution: Stanica za hitnu medicinsku pomoć
    Type of institution: Institution whose primary activities ar
    Type of cooperation: Joint publishing of scientific papers
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  13. Name of institution: Toxicology Unit Medical Research Council
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Joint publishing of scientific papers
    City: Carlshalton, Velika Britanija
Other information about the project.
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