Farmer exposure to organic solvents during the maintenance and repair of farm machinery: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
The maintenance/repair of farm machinery is a common farming activity. Dermal exposure to organic solvents has not been well documented. A pilot study was conducted to characterize exposure to organic solvents.


METHODS
A survey questionnaire was administered to 31 Kentucky farmers in 2008. Dermal exposure assessment was conducted in 10 farmers while farmers performed farm machinery maintenance/repair tasks using a solvent sampling patch. Benzene, toluene, xylene, and n-hexane were analyzed.


RESULTS
All four organic solvents were identified from the samples with toluene (<0.5-36,000 microg/patch) and xylene (15-5,700 microg/patch) at significantly higher levels. Twenty-six farmers reported the use of personal protective equipment <50% of their time repairing/maintaining farm machinery on the questionnaire; only two farmers wore gloves during the exposure assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Farmers routinely use solvent products for farm machinery maintenance/repair. Dermal exposure to organic solvents is a potential hazard. Further studies to characterize and evaluate exposure in larger samples of farmers are needed.
Bunn
Terry L
TL
Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky 40504, USA.
Liu
Youcheng
Y
Lee
Kiyoung
K
Robertson
Medearis
M
Yu
Lei
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000383:Agriculture; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006586:Hexanes / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017751:Safety Management; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects; D012997:Solvents / Q000032:analysis*; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis; D014992:Xylenes / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
D006586:Hexanes; D012997:Solvents; D014992:Xylenes; C026385:n-hexane; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene