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Influence on Transfer of selected synthetic pyrethroids from treated Formica® to Foods
Citation:
MELNYK, L. J., T. E. HIEBER, T. Turbeville, A. M. PAWLECKI-VONDERHEIDE, AND J. N. MORGAN. Influence on Transfer of selected synthetic pyrethroids from treated Formica® to Foods. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology . Nature Publishing Group, London, Uk, 21(2):186-196, (2011).
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 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. MCEARD Specific and Shared Objectives: Revise and refine the existing research plan for children's exposure measurements research. Collect measurement data on children's exposures. Develop analytical methods for pesticides in duplicate diet food samples Provide support to the National Children's Study. Conduct analyses of dietary samples and refine the dietary model for the dietary exposure algorithm. Perform data analyses to fill critical data gaps.
Description:
Children’s unstructured eating habits and activities may lead to excess dietary exposures not traditionally taken into consideration. Influence of these activities on transfer of pesticides from treated Formica® to foods was studied. The objective was to perform simulation experiments using four foods (bread, apple slice, bologna, and sugar cookies) exposed to treated Formica® following varied time intervals between surface contamination and contact (1 hr., 6 hr., and 24 hr.) and frequency of contact with and without recontamination. Pesticides investigated included permethrin, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin. Data will be used as input parameters for transfer efficiencies (TE) within the Children’s Dietary Intake Model (CDIM), which predicts total dietary exposure of a child. Pesticide transfer from surfaces to bologna and apples was more efficient than to bread and cookies. For the bread and cookies, all pyrethroids had a TE that ranged from below detectible levels to <4%. A combined average of 32 – 64% and 19 – 43%, respectively, was transferred to bologna and apples, respectively, for the three contact times for all pyrethroids. The TEs of the varied time intervals indicated that increased time between contamination and contact showed little difference for bologna, bread, and sugar cookies, but a significant difference for apples. As long as pesticide levels are measureable on surfaces in children’s eating environment, it can be concluded that transfer of pesticides to foods will take place. Foods’ characteristics played a key role in the transfer of pesticides when multiple contacts occurred. Regardless of recontamination, pesticides were efficiently transferred from the treated surface to bologna. The bologna did not reach a saturation point during the contacts. Pesticides were also efficiently transferred to apples, but reached a maximum TE during the second contact. The distribution of activity factors within CDIM needs to reflect the differences in the characteristics of the foods.