Removing pesticides from the hands with a simple washing procedure using soap and water.
Crop activities lead to dermal exposure of workers to pesticides. The efficacy of hand washing as a control measure is unknown. The efficacy of water and soap was studied for some pesticides and exposure situations. Pre-washing contamination levels in field studies were calculated from foliar residues by models using transfer factors. Between 24.5% and 50.7% of the calculated prewashing contamination was removed in two field studies with three pesticides, with coefficients of variation between 43% and 72%. In a human volunteer study, on average 45.8% and 85.7% was removed for two pesticides (coefficients of variation 6% and 7%). No influence of 'washing vigour' was found and efficacy did not depend on pre-washing contamination levels. The combination of field studies and laboratory experiments was successful, partly compensating for weaknesses in both approaches.
Marquart
Hans
H
Department of Chemical Exposure Assessment, TNO Chemistry, PO Box 360, 3600 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands. marquart@chemie.tno.nl
Brouwer
Derk H
DH
van Hemmen
Johannes J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012915:Soaps; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014867:Water
D010575:Pesticides; D012915:Soaps; D014867:Water