Application of Plant Protection Products (PPP) in Apple Orchards

Pilot Study on the Exposure of Operators, Residents and Workers to Plant Protection Products Used in Apple Orchards and Possible Health Effects

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT06884189

Acronym

aPPPle

Enrollment

Registered

2025-03-19

Start date

2025-03-11

Completion date

2025-12-20

Last updated

2025-03-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Dermal Exposure, Effekt Biomarker in Blood, Inhalative Exposure, Metabolites in Urine

Keywords

exposure study, plant protection products, human biomonitoring, effect biomarker

Brief summary

The aim of the aPPPle pilot study is to test feasibility and generate first results in preparation for a main study. The aPPPle study will investigate the exposure of operators, workers and residents to plant protection products (PPP) and potential physiological effects on blood biomarkers. The target plants are apple crops, as application occurs at higher altitudes and therefore higher drift/exposure is expected compared to ground-level application. The substances to be investigated are acetamiprid (an insecticide) and dithianon and dodine (two fungicides).

Interventions

None listed

Study design

Observational model

COHORT

Time perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* belonging to one of the defined study groups * over 18 years of age at the time of recruitment * person can understand the language and content of the study requirements * person is capable of consenting to participate in the study and has given written consent to participate in the aPPPle study * person has health insurance

Exclusion criteria

for residents and control: person has direct professional contact with the tested substances acetamiprid, dithianon or dodine

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Concentration of plant protection substances/metabolites in different matrices	Operators: during the observed work with PPP and for urine up to 48 hours after; resident: during the observed application and for urine up to 48 hours after; workers: during work in the orchards and for urine up to 48 hours a; control: at one time point	The concentrations of the investigated substances/their metabolites will be analysed in urine, patches (to assess dermal exposure of the body), hand wipes (to assess dermal exposure of the hands), filters of an personal air sampler (to assess inhalation exposure), hair samples and gras samples
Effect biomarkers in blood and metabolome in plasma	enrollment until 7 days after application/work in the apple orchards; for people from the control group at one time point	Defined effect biomarkers in blood as well as the metabolome in plasma will be analysed before and after application of plant protection products to observe possible early physiological changes. The following effect biomarkers in the blood will be measured: c-reactive protein, fasting glucose, HbA1c, cortisol, oxidized LDL, complete blood count, thyrotropin (TSH), free T3 (fT3), free T4 (fT4), gamma GT, GOT (ASAT), GPT (ALAT), bilirubin, cystatin C, urea

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Primary ContactProf. Dr. Cornelia Weikert

cornelia.weikert@bfr.bund.de+49 301841255000

Backup ContactDr. Anna Lechner

anna.lechner@bfr.bund.de+49 301841255015

Outcome results