Organophosphates Profile - Urine

Are Organophosphate Pesticides Lurking in Your Home
and Food?

The Organophosphates Profile can help identify a patient’s prolonged exposure to organophosphate pesticides that have been shown to cause serious health problems.

Why Use the Organophosphates Profile?

Organophosphates can be hazardous to the neurological development of children and babies in the womb, producing lower IQs.(1) Other health effects include chronic fatigue, asthma, wheeze, immune system disorders, impaired memory, disorientation, depression, irritability, flu-like symptoms, and may increase risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Most exposure to organophosphates occurs from ingestion through the food supply. Direct dermal exposure can also occur for people that work directly with these chemicals.

What are Organophosphates?

Organophosphate pesticides/insecticides are nerve agents that inactivate the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is essential to nerve function. Though organophosphates degrade rapidly when exposed to sunlight, air, and soil, chronic toxicity can still occur as these chemicals are used on food crops, orchards, and food storage centers.

Forty organophosphate pesticides are registered for use in the United States, the most common being Malathion®. Malathion is widely used in agriculture, landscaping, and mosquito control. Other commone organophosphates include parathion, methyl parathion, chlorphyrifos, diazinon, dichlorvos, phosmet, fenitrothion, tetrachloryinphos, and azinphos methyl. You may find some of these agents in your local hardware store under the names Malathion®, Diazinon®, Sevin® Dust, and Baygon®.

Organophosphate pesticides are metabolized into the six dialkyl phosphates that show up in urine samples:

The Organophosphates Profile uncovers exposure to these pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides to determine if avoidance and detoxification are needed for optimal health.

Atrazine is an herbicide used on farms, highways, and railways. 86% of atrazine usage occurs on corn crops. Atrazine has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor and disturbs the proper functioning of the human hormone system. Exposure to atrazine occurs through direct contact from farm and factory workers and exposure to contaminated dirt and drinking water.

Sources of Exposure: