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Human Exposure to Airborne Pesticides in Homes Treated with Wood Preservatives
Author(s) -
Schenk Guido,
Rothweiler Heinz,
Schlatter Christian
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0668.1997.00008.x
Subject(s) - diazinon , permethrin , pesticide , propoxur , environmental chemistry , chemistry , toxicology , chlorpyrifos , cypermethrin , biocide , environmental science , biology , organic chemistry , agronomy
In rooms where pesticides were applied, air was analysed for its biocide content. Inhabitants of investigated homes attributed their health complaints to pesticide exposure in their homes. Airborne pesticides originating from wood preservatives were sampled on polyurethane foams or Tenax TA and analysed after solvent desorption by HRGC with different types of detector. In investigated homes, concentrations of diazinon, phenthoate, phoxim, propoxur, dichlofluanid, endosulfan, permethrin and tributyltinoxide were found between ≤0.002 and 0.347 μg/m 3 . In one home, four years after pest control, chlorpyrifos amounted to 0.515 μg/m 3 . Permethrin emission from a wool carpet ranged between 0.013 and 0.060 μg/m 3 . Vacuum cleaning for ten minutes increased airborne permethrin up to 0.096 μg/m 3 . In house dust, diazinon, phenthoate and permethrin were determined in concentrations of 0.60 ≤g/g, 181.00 pg/g and 0.14 μg/g dust, respectively. Estimated inhaled pesticides ranged between ≤0.04 and 10.3 μg/day. Dust ingestion contributed to 0.03–36.2 μg/day. Pesticide intake through inhalation and dust ingestion was estimated to range between 4% and 120% of the ADI‐value. Based on today's knowledge, toxic effects are not anticipated.