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This research project aims to develop cost effective biomarkers of mixed pesticide exposure.
<p>In its report on Risk Assessment of Mixtures of Pesticides and Similar Substances, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) recommended a need for the development of methods to provide cost-effective biomarkers or other robust indicators of population exposure and body burdens of mixtures of pesticides and relevant veterinary residues.
<p>This project aims to develop cost-effective biomarkers of mixed pesticide exposure. The pesticides have been selected on the basis of their occurrence as residues in food.
This project will concentrate on the some of the areas of particular concern noted by the COT; notably anticholinergic insecticides (organophosphates and carbamates) and the benzimidazole fungicides.
<p>The investigators' current method for pyrethroids will also be extended and a method for dithiocarbamates will be established.
<p>Some of the chemicals falling into these categories have also been classed as potential endocrine disruptors. The methods will analyse both specific and generic markers and focus on developing common sample preparation procedures. Immunoassay procedures will be developed for screening purposes.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.