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Apples: A Standard Food for Determining Potential Residential Pesticide Transfers
Citation:
MELNYK, L. J., C. Stewart, T. E. HIEBER, J. N. MORGAN, AND A. M. PAWLECKI-VONDERHEIDE. Apples: A Standard Food for Determining Potential Residential Pesticide Transfers. Presented at International Society of Exposure Analysis, Pasenda, CA, October 12 - 16, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
The overall goal of this research program is to identify those chemicals, pathways, and activities that represent the highest potential exposures to children and to determine the factors that influence these exposures. The following objectives will address this goal: Revise and refine the existing research plan for children's exposure measurements research. Collect measurement data on children's exposures. Provide analytical support to children's pesticide exposure research. Develop analytical methods for pesticides in duplicate diet food samples. Develop and apply analytical methods for other chemicals including but not limited to brominated diphenyl ethers, phthalates, perfluorinated chemicals. Evaluate the impact of chiral chemistry on the risk to children and exposure assessment. Provide support to the National Children's Study. Perform data analyses to fill critical data gaps. Conduct analyses of dietary samples and refine the dietary model for the dietary exposure algorithm.
Description:
Children’s unstructured eating behaviors lend themselves to potential dietary exposures to synthetic pyrethroid pesticides applied in the home. To determine the potential for excess dietary exposure of children from handling food during consumption, a standard food has been developed to be used in the field as a measure of transfers of pesticides. The standard food of choice was a raw Red Delicious apple because of its consistent transfer efficiencies for a range of pesticides and its ease of analysis. Since this type of apple may not be available everywhere, various types of apples were studied to determine if the type impacted the transfer of pesticides from contaminated Formica®. Also, in the field, preparation of the apple slices could vary. The cutting technique and time lapse between cut and use of the slice of raw apple were investigated for their impact on the transfer of pesticides from a surface. The goal was to develop a standard operating procedure to be used in the field for residential monitoring of potential excess dietary exposures of children.