Elemental Sulfur Use and Associations with Pediatric Lung Function and Respiratory Symptoms in an Agricultural Community (California, USA)

Rachel Raanan; Robert B Gunier; John R Balmes; Alyssa J Beltran; Kim G Harley; Asa Bradman; Brenda Eskenazi

doi:10.1289/EHP528

Elemental Sulfur Use and Associations with Pediatric Lung Function and Respiratory Symptoms in an Agricultural Community (California, USA)

Environ Health Perspect. 2017 Aug 10;125(8):087007. doi: 10.1289/EHP528.

Authors

Rachel Raanan¹, Robert B Gunier¹, John R Balmes^{2

3}, Alyssa J Beltran¹, Kim G Harley¹, Asa Bradman^{1

2}, Brenda Eskenazi¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley , Berkeley, California, USA.
² Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley , Berkeley, California, USA.
³ Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California , San Francisco, California, USA.

PMID: 28886594
PMCID: PMC5783654
DOI: 10.1289/EHP528

Abstract

Background: Elemental sulfur, "the oldest of all pesticides," is the most heavily used agricultural pesticide in California and Europe. Sulfur is considered relatively safe and is used in both conventional and organic farming systems. Adverse respiratory effects have been reported in applicators and animals, but the effect on residential populations, and especially on children living in proximity to fields treated with elemental sulfur, is not known.

Objectives: We evaluated associations between residential proximity to elemental sulfur applications and respiratory symptoms and spirometry of children living in an agricultural community.

Methods: Participants were enrolled in the CHAMACOS longitudinal birth cohort. We collected respiratory symptomatology for 347 children at 7 y of age and measured spirometry on a subset of 279. Of these, estimations of proximity to sulfur application and relevant covariate data were available for 237 and 205 children for whom we had symptomatology information and FEV₁ measurements, respectively. Data from the California Pesticide Use Reporting System were used to estimate the amount of elemental sulfur applied within 0.5, 1, and 3km of a child's residence during the week, month, and 12 mo prior to pulmonary evaluation. Regression models controlled for maternal smoking during pregnancy; season of birth; PM_2.5 (particulate matter ≤2.5mm in aerodynamic diameter); breast feeding duration; child's sex, age, and height; technician; and other covariates.

Results: Adverse associations with respiratory outcomes were found for sulfur applications within 0.5- and 1-km radii. Specifically, asthma medication usage and respiratory symptoms increased [OR=3.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.50, 8.23, p=0.004; OR=2.09; 95% CI: 1.27, 3.46, p=0.004, respectively] and FEV₁ decreased (β=−0.143; 95% CI: −0.248, −0.039, p=0.008) per 10-fold increase in the estimated amount of sulfur used within 1 km of child residence during the year prior to pulmonary evaluation.

Conclusions: This study suggests that elemental sulfur use, allowed in both organic and conventional farming, in close proximity to residential areas, may adversely affect children's respiratory health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP528.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Agriculture / methods
Agriculture / statistics & numerical data
Air Pollutants / analysis*
Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data*
California / epidemiology
Child
Female
Humans
Inhalation Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
Male
Pesticides / analysis*
Residence Characteristics
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena
Respiratory Tract Diseases / epidemiology*
Sulfur / analysis*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Pesticides
Sulfur