title: Computer modelling as a tool for the exposure assessment of operators using faulty agricultural pesticide spraying equipment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Faulty but still operating agricultural pesticide sprayers may pose an unacceptable health risk for operators. The computerized models designed to calculate exposure and risk for pesticide sprayers used as an aid in the evaluation and further authorisation of plant protection products may be applied also to assess a health risk for operators when faulty sprayers are used.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of different exposure scenarios on the health risk for the operators using faulty agricultural spraying equipment by means of computer modelling.
  
  
  METHODS
  The exposure modelling was performed for 15 pesticides (5 insecticides, 7 fungicides and 3 herbicides). The critical parameter, i.e. toxicological end-point, on which the risk assessment was based was the no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL). This enabled risk to be estimated under various exposure conditions such as pesticide concentration in the plant protection product and type of the sprayed crop as well as the number of treatments. Computer modelling was based on the UK POEM model including determination of the acceptable operator exposure level (AOEL). Thus the degree of operator exposure could be defined during pesticide treatment whether or not personal protection equipment had been employed by individuals. Data used for computer modelling was obtained from simulated, pesticide substitute treatments using variously damaged knapsack sprayers. These substitute preparations consisted of markers that allowed computer simulations to be made, analogous to real-life exposure situations, in a dose dependent fashion. Exposures were estimated according to operator dosimetry exposure under 'field' conditions for low level, medium and high target field crops.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The exposure modelling in the high target field crops demonstrated exceedance of the AOEL in all simulated treatment cases (100%) using damaged sprayers irrespective of the type of damage or if individual protective measures had been adopted or not. For low level and medium field crops exceedances ranged between 40 - 80% cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The computer modelling may be considered as an practical tool for the hazard assessment when the faulty agricultural sprayers are used. It also may be applied for programming the quality checks and maintenance systems of this equipment.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bańkowski
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wiadrowska
authors.forename: Martyna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beresińska
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ludwicki
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noworyta-Głowacka
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Godyń
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Doruchowski
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hołownicki
mesh_terms: D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D010575:Pesticides