Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis Provides Direct Evidence for Identifying the Source of Residual Pesticides Diazinon and Procymidone in the Soil-Plant System.

Compound-specific isotope analysis stands as a promising tool for unveiling the behavior of pesticides in agricultural environments. Using the commercial formulations of persistent fungicide procymidone (PRO) and less persistent insecticide diazinon (DIA), respectively, we analyzed the concentration and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of the residual pesticides through soil incubation experiments in a greenhouse (for 150 days) and lab conditions (for 50-70 days). Our results showed that the magnitude of δ13C variation depends on pesticide specificity, in which PRO in the soil exhibited little variation in δ13C values over the entire incubation times, while DIA demonstrated an increased δ13C value, with the extent of δ13C variability affected by different spiking concentrations, plant presence, and light conditions. Moreover, the pesticides extracted from soils were isotopically overlapped with those from crop lettuce. Ultimately, the isotope composition of pesticides could infer the degradation and translocation processes and might contribute to identifying the source(s) of pesticide formulation in agricultural fields.

The concentration of pesticides in tomato: a global systematic review, meta-analysis, and health risk assessment.

To improve farming productivity, a large number of pesticides have been used worldwide in recent decades, leading to the pollution of soil, agri-products, and water, directly/indirectly affecting human health. In this regard, many studies were conducted in different countries on residual pesticides in the environment. In the current study, residual pesticides including chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, malathion, and metalaxyl in tomatoes were meta-analyzed and health risk of consumers was estimated. For this purpose, based on a systematic review, data from 47 studies were extracted and meta-analyzed, and the health impact of pooled concentrations was assessed via a health risk method. According to the results, metalaxyl had the most concentration followed by malathion, cypermethrin, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk (n-CR) was calculated from crop consumption also showed that exposure to malathion has the most risk. Among the investigated communities, Iranian consumers were in considerable health risk (THQ > 1). Considering that the potential for the use of pesticides will increase with the need for food in the future, hence, governments must manage the usage by governments via alternative methods such as cultural, biological, physical, and genetic modifications.

Separation and quantification of diazinon in water samples using liquid-phase microextraction-based effervescent tablet-assisted switchable solvent method coupled to gas chromatography-flame ionization detection.

This study used a liquid-phase microextraction-based effervescent tablet-assisted switchable solvent method coupled to gas chromatography-flame ionization detection as an eco-efficient, convenient-to-use, cost-effective, sensitive, rapid, and efficient method for extracting, preconcentrating, and quantifying trace amounts of diazinon in river water samples. As a switchable solvent, triethylamine (TEA) was used. In situ generation of CO2 using effervescent tablet containing Na2 CO3 and citric acid changed the hydrophobic TEA to the hydrophilic protonated triethylamine carbonate (P-TEA-C). CO2 removal from the specimen solution using NaOH caused P-TEA-C to be converted into TEA and led to phase separation, during which diazinon was extracted into the TEA phase. The salting-out process was helpful in enhancing extraction efficiency. In addition, a number of significant parameters that affect extraction recovery were examined. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.06 and 0.2 ng/ml, respectively. The extraction recovery percentage and pre-concentration factor were obtained at 95 and 190%, respectively, and the precision (inter- and intra-day, relative standard deviation %, n = 5) was <5%.

Simultaneous Analysis of Mycotoxins, Potentially Toxic Elements, and Pesticides in Rice: A Health Risk Assessment Study.

Rice is a widely consumed food worldwide; however, it can be a source of pollutants, such as potentially toxic elements (PTEs), mycotoxins, and pesticides. Sixty rice samples imported from Pakistan (PAK), India (IND), and Thailand (THAI), as well as domestic Iranian (IRN) rice, were collected from Bushehr, Iran, and investigated for the contamination of PTEs, including arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni); pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, trichlorfon, diazinon, fenitrothion, and chlorothalonil; mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), and deoxynivalenol (DON); and molds. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) of pollutants and hazard index (HI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of rice types for the Iranian adult population were calculated. The content of PTEs in Iranian rice was not higher than Iran's national standard limits. In contrast, other types of rice (imported) had at least one PTE above the permissible level. OTA content was below the detection limit, and all other mycotoxins were within the allowable range in all rice types. Thai rice was the only group without pesticides. The HI order of rice types was as follows: HIPAK = 2.1 > HIIND = 1.86 > HIIRN = 1.01 > HITHAI = 0.98. As was the biggest contributor to the HI of Iranian and Thai rice, and diazinon in the HI of Pakistani and Indian rice. The calculation of ILCR confirmed that the concentrations of Ni and Pb in Pakistani and Ni and As in Indian, Thai, and Iranian rice were not acceptable in terms of lifetime carcinogenic health risks.

Microextraction of organophosphorus pesticides on a screw coated with PAN/calcined ZnMgAl-LDH electrospun nanofibers.

The present research is an attempt to expand the recently reported microextraction on screw method. For this purpose, polyacrylonitrile/calcined ZnMgAl-LDH nanofiber was fabricated by the electrospinning technique on the surface of a screw. It was applied to the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides (OPP) from agricultural samples. The separation and determination of OPPs were carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The characterization of the fabricated nanofiber was performed utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction instruments. Effective parameters on the extraction efficiency of the analytes including sample pH, ionic strength, sample flow rate and number of cycles, type, volume, and flow rate of desorption solvent were optimized by one-variable-at-a-time method. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection were 0.03 and 0.07 µg L-1 for diazinon and chlorpyrifos, respectively. This method showed wide linearity in the range 0.10-1000 µg L-1 for diazinon and 0.25-1000 µg L-1 for chlorpyrifos with R2 > 0.996. The intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD%, n = 3) were ≤ 6.4% and ≤ 7.7%, respectively. Also, RSD% values less than 11.1% were obtained for screw-to-screw reproducibility. The applicability of the method for the extraction and determination of the analytes in complex agricultural environments such as cabbage, potato, tomato, cucumber, and beetroot was investigated. The results led to acceptable relative recoveries in the range 81.0-108.2%.

A modified quick-easy-cheap-effective-rugged-and-safe method involving carbon nano-onions-based dispersive solid-phase extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for pesticides from grapes.

A combination of modified quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe extraction approach with carbon nano-onions-based dispersive solid-phase extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was developed for the extraction of several pesticides (diazinon, chlorpyrifos, tebuconazole, deltamethrin, permethrin, haloxyfop-methyl, penconazole, and cyhalothrin) from grape before their analysis by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. In the extraction approach, an aliquot of grape sample is chopped and after separating its juice, the pesticides that remained in the refuse are extracted by the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe extraction method. The obtained acetonitrile phase is mixed with juice and the analytes are extracted by the carbon nano-onions-based dispersive solid-phase extraction. The analytes are concentrated using the microextraction procedure to obtain high enrichment factors. The results showed low limits of detection (0.5-1.6 ng/g) and quantification (1.8-5.4 ng/g) with satisfactory linearity of the calibration curves (determination coefficient, r2 ≥ 0.994). The precision of the developed method expressed as relative standard deviations was good (≤7.2%). The method provided high enrichment factors (350-410) and extraction recoveries (70-82%). Finally, seven grape samples were analyzed successfully.

Impact of Micronutrient Supplementation on Pesticide Residual, Acetylcholinesterase Activity, and Oxidative Stress Among Farm Children Exposed to Pesticides.

The present interventional study aimed to assess the impact of micronutrient supplementation on pesticide-residues concentrations, vitamins, minerals, acetylcholinesterase activity and oxidative stress among 129 farm children (9-12 years, n = 66 and 13-15 years, n = 63) involved in farming activities in Ranga Reddy district, Telangana, India. Our data showed the presence of five organophosphorus pesticide residues (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, monocrotophos, and phosalone) among children before-supplementation (both age-groups); while post-supplementation, only two pesticide residues (chlorpyrifos and diazinon) were detected indicating improved metabolic rate. Vitamin E, copper, magnesium and zinc levels were also improved in both the age-groups and manganese levels were significantly increased only among children of 13-15 years age group. Further, post-supplementation also showed an improvement in acetylcholinesterase activity and a decrease in lipid peroxidation among both the age groups of children. However, further research for ascertaining the ameliorating effect of micronutrients in preventing adverse effects of organophosphorus pesticides must be conducted.

Risk assessment of organophosphorus pesticide residues in drinking water resources: Statistical and Monte-Carlo approach.

A large part of the world's agricultural production, despite its adverse effects on human health and water resources, depends on the use of pesticides. Despite strict regulations, the use of pesticides continues around the world. This study aimed to determine the residual concentrations of malathion and diazinon in samples of drinking water resources. To achieve this goal, 384 samples from 8 various sites from January to December 2020 were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) with an electron capture detector (ECD) and liquid-liquid extraction technique. Besides, statistical analysis and a risk-modeling approach supported by an automatic Monte-Carlo procedure were applied. The results showed that there is a high carcinogenic risk regarding malathion and that the low age population is at the most non-carcinogenic risk regarding diazinon.

Investigation and probabilistic health risk assessment of pesticide residues in cucumber, tomato, and okra fruits from Khuzestan, Iran.

In this study, 30 pesticide residues in 45 fresh-eating cucumber, tomato, and okra fruit samples collected from the Khuzestan province as the main agricultural products in Iran using the QuEChERS extraction method were analyzed. In addition, noncarcinogen and carcinogen health risk assessments were evaluated. Results indicated that 93% of cucumber samples had at least one pesticide, of course, less than the maximum residue limit (MRL). All tomato and okra fruit samples were contaminated by diazinon. All pesticides detected in tomato samples were below national MRL except for thiamethoxam in four samples. In okra fruit samples, all detected diazinon and malathion, but only tebuconazole fungicide exceeded MRL. In addition, the hazard index (HI) was 0.23 and 1.06 in cucumber samples, 0.33 and 1.51 in tomato samples, and 5.5E-03 and 0.025 in okra fruit samples in adults and children, respectively. The use of cucumber and tomato may have notable risks in the short term in children group age. Ranking based on total CR was 1.2E-05 in tomato, 7.7E-06 for cucumber, and in okra 9.1E-11 because of the difenoconazole residue. However, significant carcinogenic risk threatens cucumber and tomato consumers.

Selective solid-phase extraction of organophosphorus pesticides and their oxon-derivatives from water samples using molecularly imprinted polymer followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection.

A molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized and characterized to be used as solid-phase extraction sorbent for simultaneous chlorpyrifos and diazinon and their oxon derivatives. Several imprinted polymers were prepared and evaluated in a retention study of these analytes compared with a non-printed polymer. Several parameters affecting the extraction of imprinted polymer such as washing solvent, composition and volume of the eluting solvent and sample volume, were also investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the developed method provided satisfactory limits of detection ranging between 0.07 µg L-1 to 0.12 µg L-1 and the material showed an excellent reusability (> 50 reuses). The method was applied to the extraction and preconcentration of these analytes in water samples. The average recoveries ranged from 79 ± 6 to 104 ± 3 %.

Occurrence and potential risk of organophosphorus pesticides in urbanised Linggi River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

The application of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) increased gradually because of the rise in global food demand that triggered the agriculture sector to increase the production, leading to OPP residues in the surface water. This study elucidated the presence of OPPs and estimated its ecological risk in the riverine ecosystem of the urbanised Linggi River, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The OPP concentration in surface water was determined using solid-phase extraction method and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection. Further, the ecological risk was estimated by using the risk quotient (RQ) method. The three OPPs, i.e. chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and quinalphos were detected with mean concentrations of 0.0275 µg/L, 0.0328 µg/L, and 0.0362 µg/L, respectively. The OPPs were at high risk (in general and worst cases) under acute exposure. The estimated risk of diazinon was observed as medium for general (RQm = 0.5857) and high for worst cases (RQex = 4.4678). Notably, the estimated risk for chlorpyrifos was high for both general and worst cases (RQm = 1.9643 and RQex = 11.5643) towards the aquatic ecosystem of the Linggi River. Chronic risk of quinalphos remains unknown because of the absence of toxicity endpoints. This study presented clear knowledge regarding OPP contamination and possible risk for aquatic ecosystems. Hence, OPPs should be listed as one of the main priority contaminants in pesticide mitigation management in the future.

Ultrasensitive fluorescent detection of pesticides in real sample by using green carbon dots.

Pesticides, widely used in modern agriculture, could potentially cause environmental pollution and affect human lives. Hence, the development of a highly sensitive sensing element to detect pesticide residues is crucial for food safety and ecosystem protection. Optical methods based on fluorescence properties provide an ideal approach for screening and quantification of these compounds in different medias including water, plant, and nutritional products. The development of fluorescence emitting carbon dot-based sensors for monitoring pesticides has attracted great attention in recent years. In comparison to other fluorophores, carbon dots have more promising optical features, higher quantum yields and better biocompatibility. This article aims to present a novel fluorescent sensing method of diazinon, glyphosate, and amicarbazone using plant-based carbon dots. A comprehensive characterization of carbon dots obtained from cauliflower was performed by methods including UV-visible, FTIR spectroscopy, fluorometry, AFM, DLS, and zeta sizer. Following this step, carbon dots were used to detect pesticides. The fluorescence quenching property of carbon dots has been utilized to identify detection limit of 0.25, 0.5, and 2 ng ml-1 for diazinon, amicarbazone, and glyphosate, respectively. Also, real sample study revealed that the detection of pesticides accompanied by our developed nano-sensor is repeatable and accurate. According to carbon dots specificity determination, the prepared nano sensor does not have the potential to identify "bromacil" and "dialen super" pesticides but the other three mentioned pesticides are detectable. The results confirm that synthesized green carbon dots are well qualified for application in food safety and environmental monitoring.

Removal of trace organic contaminants by melamine-tuned highly cross-linked polyamide TFC membranes.

In recent years, forward osmosis (FO) has represented numerous potential applications in safe water production. In this study, we improved the performance of FO thin film composite (TFC) membranes for the removal of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) by tuning the chemistry of its top active layer. The TFC membranes were synthesized by interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction between amine-containing monomers, e.g., meta-phenylene diamine (MPD) or para-phenylenediamine (PPD), and an acid chloride monomer, e.g., trimesoyl chloride (TMC). Owing to three free amine functionals over main core, melamine was used in the amine monomers solution to increase cross-linking among polyamide chains. Chemical and morphological characterization of the prepared membranes confirmed that melamine was successfully incorporated into the chemical structure of the top PA layer. Two agricultural toxic materials (atrazine and diazinon) were used to investigate the capability of the newly fabricated membranes in the removal of TOrCs. The obtained results showed that melamine-improved FO membranes provided higher atrazine and diazinon rejections in two different FO membrane configurations, including active layer facing feed solution (ALF) and active layer facing draw solution (ALD). The highest rejections of both diazinon (99.4%) and atrazine (97.3%) were achieved when the melamine modified MPD-based membrane served in ALF mode with 2 M NaCl as a draw solution.

In Situ Real-Time Tracing of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Apples by Solid-Phase Microextraction with Developed Sampling-Rate Calibration.

An in situ tracing study based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was conducted to investigate the uptake and elimination of organophosphorus pesticides in apples. A matrix-compatible polydimethylsiloxane/poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene)/polydimethylsiloxane fiber was produced to meet the needs of in situ sampling. The fiber had high extraction ability, good sensitivity and accuracy with respect to the analytes in apple pulp, and could be used 85 times. Although the sampling rate was changing over time, quantification was still achieved by the sampling rate calibration method. Some factors that affect its applicability were studied. The limits of detection were 0.18 ng/g for diazinon and 0.20 ng/g for chlorpyrifos, rather lower than the maximum residue limits of the National Food Safety Standard of China (GB 2763-2016) and the European Commission (Reg.(EU) No 834/2013, 2018/686). The accuracy of in situ SPME quantification was verified by comparing with the results obtained by the traditional liquid-liquid extraction method. In this work, the in situ sampling method is developed using apples, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos as a model system; however, this method can be used for in vivo analysis of fruits and vegetables for nutrition and safety monitoring.

Fabricating an Acetylcholinesterase Modulated UCNPs-Cu2+ Fluorescence Biosensor for Ultrasensitive Detection of Organophosphorus Pesticides-Diazinon in Food.

In this study, a highly sensitive upconversion fluorescence (FL) biosensor was developed for the detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) based on an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) modulated FL "off-on-off" strategy. The luminescence of synthesized UCNPs could be quenched strongly by Cu2+ due to an energy transfer effect. Upon addition of AChE and acetylthiocholine (ATCh), the enzymatic hydrolysate (thiocholine) could seize Cu2+ from UCNPs-Cu2+ mixture, resulting in the quenched FL triggered on. OPs could irreversibly impede the activity of AChE, which caused the formation of thiocholine to decrease, thus, reduced the recovery of FL. Under the optimum conditions, a linear detection range from 0.1 to 50 ng/mL was achieved for the representative OPs (diazinon) with LOD of 0.05 ng/mL. Furthermore, the ability of the biosensor to detect OPs was also confirmed in adulterated environmental and agricultural samples. In validation analysis, the proposed sensor showed satisfactory results ( p > 0.05) with GC-MS.

An efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer system from quantum dots to graphene oxide nano sheets: Application in a photoluminescence aptasensing probe for the sensitive detection of diazinon.

In this paper a new aptasensor with high-sensitivity, and high-specificity for detection of diazinon, was discovered, based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between quantum dot (QD) as a donor and graphene oxide (GO) as an acceptor. l-cysteine capped CdS QDs/DF20 aptamer bioconjugates were successfully synthesized. GO was also attached to aptamers and photoluminescence quenching was obtained through FRET. By adding target diazinon to the bioconjugates containing GO, photoluminescence recovery was detected due to detachment of GO from the aptamer as a result of the difference in affinity for the aptamer. The detection limit of the biosensor was 0.13 nM and the linearity was maintained from 1.05 to 206 nM. Other pesticides and herbicides did not contribute to photoluminescence recovery due to lack of binding affinity for the aptamers, which demonstrates the selectivity of the biosensor. The results show the applicability of the aptasensor for monitoring diazinon in environmental and agricultural samples.

Impacts of nutrients and pesticides from small- and large-scale agriculture on the water quality of Lake Ziway, Ethiopia.

The area around Lake Ziway in Ethiopia is going through a major agricultural transformation with both small-scale farmers and large horticultural companies using pesticides and fertilisers at an increased rate. To be able to understand how this influences the water quality of Lake Ziway, water quality data was gathered to study the dynamics of pesticide concentrations and physicochemical parameters for the years from 2009 to 2015. Results indicate that for some physicochemical parameters, including pH, potassium and iron, over 50 % of the values were above the maximum permissible limit of the Ethiopian standard for drinking water. The fungicide spiroxamine poses a high chronic risk when the water is used for drinking water, while the estimated intake of diazinon was approximately 50 % of the acceptable daily intake. Higher-tier risk assessment indicated that the fungicide spiroxamine poses a high acute risk to aquatic organisms, while possible acute risks were indicated for the insecticides deltamethrin and endosulfan. Longer-term monitoring needs to be established to show the water quality changes across time and space, and the current study can be used as a baseline measurement for further research in the area as well as an example for other surface water systems in Ethiopia and Africa.

Determination of Residues of Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos in Lavender and Rosemary Leaves by Gas Chromatography.

A sensitive gas chromatographic (GC) GC method has been developed for the determination of diazinon and chlorpyrifos residues in lavender and rosemary leaves. The developed method consists of blending weighed samples of chopped leaves with sodium sulfate as the dehydrating agent, extraction with ethyl acetate, filtration, evaporation with a rotary evaporator, and, finally, capillary GC determination of the pesticides. The recoveries of the method were greater than 90%, and the LOQ was less than 0.1 µg/mL. The method was applied to determine the rate of disappearance of diazinon and chlorpyrifos from lavender and rosemary leaves pretreated with the studied pesticides. The half-life values (t1/2) of diazinon were found to be 5.93 and 6.35 days for lavender and rosemary leaves, respectively, whereas the t1/2 values of chlorpyrifos were calculated to be 7.86 and 9.52 days for lavender and rosemary leaves, respectively. The safe harvest interval (preharvest interval; PHI) was suggested to be after 21 and 24 days for diazinon and chlorpyrifos, respectively. The PHI refers to the amount of time that must lapse (in days) after a pesticide application before a crop can be cut.

The effect of follicullar fluid pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryological and clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVES: The present study evaluated the correlation between the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides in the follicular fluid (FF) obtained during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with the ovarian response, endometrial thickness, and embryological and clinical outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women aged 20 to 38 years (300 infertile couples) presenting to a university-affiliated fertility center were approached to participate in the study. Only 150 couples that underwent ICSI for male factor infertility agreed to participate, and 94 of them had retrieved enough FF samples suitable for laboratory testing. The FF sample was obtained, centrifuged, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), Lindane and DDT;three organophosphates (OPs);chlorpyrifos;Diazinon; malathion; one Chloroacetanilide (Pretilachlor);two pyrethroids(Bioallethrin and ß-cyfluthrin); and the concentrations of four PCBs, 28, 52, 138, 180, were estimated in the obtained FF samples by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. SPSS statistical analysis program (version 17) was used for analysis. Multiple regression analysis was used to correlate the PCBs and pesticides with ICSI outcomes. RESULTS: There were significant negative correlations between FF concentrations of the eight examined pesticides and the four PCBs on the endometrial thickness. However, Pretilachlor, chlorpyrifos, ß-cyfluthrin, and Diazinon were the only toxic agents that negatively correlated with the number of the oocytes retrieved. Fertilization and early embryo cleavage rates were negatively correlated with Pretilachlor and ß-cyfluthrin. Moreover, high concentrations of Lindane,DDT, Diazinon,and chlorpyrifos were significantly associated lower implantation rate. PCB 28 and 180 concentration in the FF was associated with a lower number of retrieved oocytes and fertilization rate, respectively. The number of implanted embryos was negatively correlated with PCB 52 FF concentration. However, the clinical pregnancy rate did not reach the level of significance. CONCLUSION: Higher concentrations of any studied PCBs and pesticides are associated with thinner endometrial thickness. The higher the level of Pretilachlor, ß-cyfluthrin, PCB 28 and 180, the lower the retrieval, fertilization, and embryo cleavage rates. High PCB and pesticide concentrations in the FF adversely affected embryological ICSI outcomes. However, more data are needed to evaluate their effect on the clinical outcome.

Pesticides contaminated dust exposure, risk diagnosis and exposure markers in occupational and residential settings of Lahore, Pakistan.

There are few studies documenting the dust loaded with pesticides as a potential non-dietary exposure source for occupational worker and populations living near agricultural farms and pesticides formulation plants. In present study we have evaluated the pesticide concentration in dust from potential sites and relevant health risk from dust ingestion. Furthermore, the effect of currently used pesticides was investigated on blood and urine parameters of subjects: farmer, factory worker, urban resident and rural resident and controlled subjects with presumably different levels of exposure. The urinary metabolites (TCPY and IMPY) were quantified as biomarkers of exposure to chlorpyrifos and diazinon in relation with biomarkers of effect including BuChE, LH, FSH, testosterone and oxidative stress. Results showed that chlorpyrifos and diazinon were present in higher concentration in dust and posed a high health risk to exposed subjects. The mean SOD value was high among the farmer (3048U/g Hb) followed by factory worker (1677.6U/g Hb). The urinary biomarkers - TCPY and IMPY- were found higher in exposed subjects as compared to control. Furthermore, testosterone was found in higher concentration in factory worker than control (12.63ng/ml vs 4.61ng/ml respectively). A decreased BuChE activity was noticed in occupational group and significant differences were observed in control verses exposed subjects. The PCA analysis evidenced the impact of pesticides on exposure biomarkers and male reproductive hormones. The study suggests that dust contaminated with pesticides engenders significant health risk particularly related to the nervous and endocrine system, not only for occupational workers exposed to direct ingestion but also for nearby residential community. Succinctly putting: Pesticides loaded dust in the city of Lahore, being a high priority concern for the government of Pakistan, demands to be addressed.