Research Proves Glyphosate Residues in Animals and Humans

Detection of Glyphosate Residues found  in Animals and Humans “Presence of glyphosate in urine and its accumulation in animal tissues is alarming even at low concentrations. Unknown impacts of glyphosate on human and animal health warrants further investigations of glyphosate residues in vertebrates and other non-target organisms.”

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Detection of Glyphosate Residues found  in Animals and Humans Monika Krüger1, Philipp Schledorn1, Wieland Schrödl1, Hans-Wolfgang Hoppe2, Walburga Lutz3 and Awad A. Shehata1,4*

In the present study glyphosate residues were tested in urine and different organs of dairy cows as well as in urine of hares, rabbits and humans using ELISA and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The correlation coefficients between ELISA and GC-MS were 0.96, 0.87, 0.97and 0.96 for cattle, human, and rabbit urine and organs, respectively. The recovery rate of glyphosate in spiked meat using ELISA was 91%. Glyphosate excretion in German dairy cows was significantly lower than Danish cows. Cows kept in genetically modified free area had significantly lower glyphosate concentrations in urine than conventional husbandry cows. Also glyphosate was detected in different organs of slaughtered cows as intestine, liver, muscles, spleen and kidney. Fattening rabbits showed significantly higher glyphosate residues in urine than hares. Moreover, glyphosate was significantly higher in urine of humans with conventional feeding. Furthermore, chronically ill humans showed significantly higher glyphosate residues in urine than healthy population. The presence of glyphosate residues in both humans and animals could haul the entire population towards numerous health hazards, studying the impact of glyphosate residues on health is warranted and the global regulations for the use of glyphosate may have to be re-evaluated.

http://omicsonline.org/open-access/detection-of-glyphosate-residues-in-animals-and-humans-2161-0525.1000210.pdf Monika Krüger1, Philipp Schledorn1, Wieland Schrödl1, Hans-Wolfgang Hoppe2, Walburga Lutz3 and Awad A. Shehata1,4*

1Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology of Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, Germany 2Medizinisches Labor Bremen Haferwende 12, 28357 Bremen, Germany
3Wildlife Research Institute, Bonn, Germany
4Avian and Rabbit Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sadat City University, Egypt

Introduction Glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine) is registered as herbicide for many food and non-food crops as well as non-crop areas where total vegetation control is desired. The predominating uses of glyphosate, in descending order, are stubble management, pre-sowing application and pre-harvest application (desiccation). Glyphosate is also used to prevent weeds in fields with glyphosate resistant genetically modified (GM) crops like soybean, rapeseed, corn, etc. Since 1996 the amount and the number of genetically engineered crops dramatically increased worldwide. It is estimated that 90% of the transgenic crops grown worldwide are glyphosate resistant [1]. The rapidly growing problem of glyphosate-resistant weeds is reflected in steady increases in the use of glyphosate on crops. Steams, leaves and beans of glyphosate resistant soy are contaminated with glyphosate. Moreover, due to the intensive use of glyphosate it was frequently detected in water, rain and air. Chang and coworkers [2] detected glyphosate concentrations in air and rain up to 2.5 μg/L in agricultural areas in Mississippi and Iowa. In Europe GM soybean for food and feed was admitted in 1996. All animals and humans eating this soy chronically incorporate unknown amounts of this herbicide. Residues of glyphosate in tissues and organs of food animals fed with GM feed (soybean, corn, etc.) are not considered or neglected in legislation. The influence of glyphosate residues on the quality of animal Products intended for human food is almost unknown. The incorporation of GM soybean meal in broiler feed significantly affects the color parameter for breast muscles [3]. In contrast Erickson and coworkers [4] did not find any effects on the performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers. Furthermore, glyphosate is a potent chelator fixing trace and macro elements [5-7].

The mode of action of glyphosate is through specific inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate 3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), an enzyme of the shikimate pathway that governs the synthesis of aromatic amino compounds in higher plants, algae, bacteria and fungi [8]. As this enzyme is absent in mammals it is often assumed that glyphosate is not harmful for mammalians. Even so, there is an ongoing debate about

he safety of this herbicide. Firstly, long-term toxicology of the low glyphosate residues has not been investigated in vertebrates. Secondly although EPSPS is absent, glyphosate has been reported to inhibit other enzymes, e.g., enzymes of the cytochrome P450 (Cyp450) family [8]. Other inhibition pathways are reported. Richard et al. [9] reported that such as glyphosate inhibits Cyp450 aromatase inhibition, indicated crucial for sex steroid hormone synthesis.

Glyphosate also interferes with cytochrome P450 enzymes which include numerous proteins able to metabolize xenobiotics [10]. This may also act synergistically with disruption of the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids by gut bacteria, as well as impairment in serum sulfate transport. Recently, it was suggested that gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with Western diet [11]. Furthermore, genotoxic activity [12], teratogenic activity [13], and disturbance of the normal gut bacterial community [14,15] due to glyphosate are reported. Glyphosate showed cytotoxic effects on different cells in vitro [16-18], and Barbosa et al. [19], proposed that glyphosate may have contributed to the Parkinsonism due to its chemical similarity with glycine, a co-factor required for activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartase (NMDA) receptor, which controls excitatory actions in the central nervous system and is also involved in memory and learning. However, in clinical studies has not shown NMDA activity in relation to glyphosate poisoning [20].

Glyphosate in urine of a generally healthy population was significantly lower than in urine from a chronically diseased population. Curwin et al. [26] mentioned that it is important to determine if glyphosate is consumed in conventional foods. Glyphosate in urine of humans (non-suicidal or accidental overdose cases) was measured in different populations. The presence of glyphosate in humans was previously reported [27] by monitoring 48 farmers, their spouses and 79 children (4-18 years) for glyphosate in urine the day before, as well as 1 and 3 days after glyphosate application. They reported detectable levels of glyphosate were found in urine on the day of application in sixty percent of the farmers (geometric mean was 3 ppb, the maximum value was 233 ppb, and the highest estimated systemic dose was 0.004 mg/kg). Farmers who did not use rubber gloves had five times more glyphosate in their urine. Mesnage et al. [28] detected 9.5 ppb glyphosate in urine of a farmer 7h after beginning pesticide handling. Moreover, the excretion of glyphosate in urine is not limited to farmers [26] and glyphosate has been described as a new environmental neurotoxin.

Exposure of mammals to glyphosate may cause loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and result in oxidative stress to liver and brain [29, 30]. Both apoptosis and autophagy are involved in glyphosate toxicity mechanisms [31] Case reports indicated that exposure to glyphosate was related to Parkinsonism [19, 32].

Conclusions : Glyphosate residue could reach humans and animals through feed and excreted in urine. Presence of glyphosate in urine and its accumulation in animal tissues is alarming even at low concentrations. Unknown impacts of glyphosate on human and animal health warrants further investigations of glyphosate residues in vertebrates and other non-target organisms.

*Corresponding author: Dr. Awad A Shehata, Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology of Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, Germany, Tel: 0049- 03419738183; Fax: 0049-03419738199; E-mail: shehata@vetmed.uni-leipzig.de

Received January 04, 2014; Accepted January 28, 2014; Published January 31, 2014

Citation: Krüger M, Schledorn P, Schrödl W, Hoppe HW, Lutz W, et al. (2014) Detection of Glyphosate Residues in Animals and Humans. J Environ Anal Toxicol 4: 210. doi: 10.4172/2161-0525.1000210

Copyright: © 2014 Krüger M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.