title: Assessment of exposure to pesticides during mixing/loading and spraying of tomatoes in the open field.
abstract: Some evidence of exposure-response of metolachlor and pendimethalin for lung cancer and an association of metribuzin with risk of glioma have been reported. The primary objectives in this study were to evaluate exposure and occupational risk during mixing/loading of pesticides and during their application to tomatoes cultivated in open fields. Sixteen farmers were sampled. Respiratory exposure was estimated by personal air sampling using fiberglass filters in a IOM device. Dermal exposure was assessed using skin pads and hand washing. Absorbed doses were estimated assuming 100% lung retention, and 50% or 10% skin absorption for metribuzin, and pendimethalin and metolachlor, respectively. The three pesticides were quantified by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in all matrices. Metolachlor was used as a tracer of contamination of clothes and tractors unrelated to the exposure monitored. Respiratory exposure to metribuzin, used in granular form, was on average more than one order of magnitude higher than exposure to pendimethalin, used in the form of microencapsulated liquid. The actual doses were 0.067-8.08 µg/kg bw, 0.420-12.6 µg/kg bw, and 0.003-0.877 µg/kg bw for pendimethalin, metribuzin, and metolachlor, respectively. Dermal exposure was about 88% of the actual dose for metribuzin and more than 95%, for pendimethalin and metolachlor. For risk assessment, the total absorbed doses (sum of respiratory and skin absorbed doses) were compared with the AOEL for each compound. The actual and absorbed doses of the three pesticides were always lower than the acceptable operator exposure level (AOEL), which are reported to be 234 µg/kg bw, 20 µg/kg bw, and 150 µg/kg bw for pendimethalin, metribuzin, and metolachlor, respectively. In any case, personal protective equipment and spraying devices should be chosen with care to minimize exposure.
authors: a Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service , Siena , Italy.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Aprea
authors: b Operative Unit Prevention and Safe in Working Place, Public Health Department, National Health Service Piacenza , Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Bosi
authors: b Operative Unit Prevention and Safe in Working Place, Public Health Department, National Health Service Piacenza , Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Manara
authors: b Operative Unit Prevention and Safe in Working Place, Public Health Department, National Health Service Piacenza , Italy.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Mazzocchi
authors: b Operative Unit Prevention and Safe in Working Place, Public Health Department, National Health Service Piacenza , Italy.
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Pompini
authors: b Operative Unit Prevention and Safe in Working Place, Public Health Department, National Health Service Piacenza , Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Sormani
authors: a Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service , Siena , Italy.
authors: Liana
authors: L
authors: Lunghini
authors: a Public Health Laboratory, National Health Service , Siena , Italy.
authors: Gianfranco
authors: G
authors: Sciarra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012869:Skin Absorption; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Metolachlor; metribuzin; pendimethalin; respiratory exposure; skin exposure