An exposure assessment of occupational exposures among small quantity pesticides users in amenity horticulture.

摘要

An occupational biomonitoring study to assess gardeners and amenity horticulturalist exposure to pesticides was completed over the summer period of 2015. Spot urine samples were collected pre and post work tasks involving small volumes of pesticides products (ranging from 100 ml to 2 L of concentrated product used), samples were analysed for pesticide content. The active ingredients of interest in this study included glyphosate and fluroxypyr. Study results (GM (GSD) 0.66(1.11) μg L_(-1)for glyphosate and GM (GSD) 0.29 (1.69) μg L_(-1) for fluroxypyr) showed an exposure potential during amenity horticulture work, which warrants further investigation. Results also suggested that factors such as the reuse of PPE and contact with contaminated objects used during spraying could result in increased exposure concentrations. A larger study involving 24-hour biological monitoring, dermal exposure assessment and an assessment for the potential for inadvertent ingestion is now planned for the gardening season of 2017. Workers will be grouped into four similar exposure groups based on the pesticide application method used and whether they were working with glyphosate or fluroxypyr. Dermal exposure assessment will involve collecting wipe samples from the worker hands, gloves and potentially contaminated objects such as mobile phones, product containers and vehicle steering wheels. Wipe samples from the worker perioral region will also be collected before and after completion of work tasks alongside detailed contextual information regarding the worker, task and environmental conditions. Data collection and analysis will be completed by August 2017. Study results will be used to estimate total body burden and the contribution of dermal and inadvertent ingestion as exposure routes.