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INDOOR AIR CONCENTRATIONS OF ORGANOCHLORINE, ORGANOPHOSPHATE AND PYRETHROID PESTICIDES IN THE US: FOUR STUDIES, SIX STATES AND TWENTY YEARS
Citation:
STOUT, D. M. AND P. P. EGEGHY. INDOOR AIR CONCENTRATIONS OF ORGANOCHLORINE, ORGANOPHOSPHATE AND PYRETHROID PESTICIDES IN THE US: FOUR STUDIES, SIX STATES AND TWENTY YEARS. Presented at Dioxin 2005, Toronto, ON, CANADA, August 21 - 26, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
The primary study objectives are:
1) Develop and validate tools such as the spray booth and environmental chambers for use in ongoing fate and transport studies.
2) Provide measurements (air and surface concentrations) for select residential use pesticides to evaluate their translocation following an application in the U.S. EPA Indoor Air Quality Research House.
3) Develop a fundamental background for further research aimed at understanding more complex interactions such as fate and behavior of pesticide mixtures based on physical and chemical properties following applications in the residential environment, as well as the potential for human exposure associated with pesticide mixtures.
Description:
Pesticides used to control indoor pests have transitioned across the chemicals classes of organochlorine, organophosphate, and pyrethroid compounds from the 1980's to the present. This work summarizes the pesticide concentrations measured from the indoor air of homes from four studies sponsored by the US EPA. The frequency of detection varied across studies with an increased frequency of detection over time that is likely influenced by improved detection limits. Pesticides were commonly measured in all studies. Mean concentrations show highly variable heptachlor levels, while chlordane appears to decline from 1988 levels. DDT and DDE show little difference over time. All organophosphate concentrations were lower than those measured in the NOPES-FL. Permethrin concentrations were variable and none was measured in NOPES-MA. Findings demonstrate the high degree of variability across studies associated with indoor air concentrations measured from homes. There is a suggestion of decreasing concentrations for some pesticides. Finally, comparability between studies would be improved by routinely performing studies in the same cities or states.