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CONCENTRATIONS OF PESTICIDE FROM DERMAL SURFACES: A COMPARISON OF NHEXAS & AZ BORDER SAMPLES
Citation:
Robertson, G L., J. Reses, M. G. Nishioka, AND M. D. Lebowitz. CONCENTRATIONS OF PESTICIDE FROM DERMAL SURFACES: A COMPARISON OF NHEXAS & AZ BORDER SAMPLES. Presented at 11th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Exposure Analysis, Charleston, SC, November 4-8, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
The primary objective of the NAFTA Border study was to determine if the population of the U.S./Mexico Border area of Arizona are more highly exposed to environmental contaminants than the residents of the state of Arizona as a whole. The NAFTA Border Study will also demonstrate the feasibility of using these measurement processes in future multimedia-multipathway studies along the U.S./Mexico Border.
Description:
NHEXAS-AZ was a statewide survey designed to gather data on the distributions of exposure from various media. Results of intensive sampling were obtained from 179 homes. Border-AZ was a similar study focusing on homes within 40 km of the Arizona-Mexico Border; similar results were obtained from 87 homes. Our focus was to examine the differences in the concentrations of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion on dermal surfaces between NHEXAS-AZ and Border-AZ, and to compare differences by county and correlate these to concentrations obtained from various media.
Dermal concentrations of pesticides appear to have a greater range and value across the state compared to the border regions; however, median values were similar to or greater along the border. Dermal pesticides collected from the border region were variable. Diazinon and DDE were significantly elevated in Yuma County compared to Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, while chlordane was significantly elevated in Santa Cruz County. All other pesticide values were similar across counties. Dermal concentrations of pesticides were significantly correlated with concentrations from indoor air and floor dust values. The greater range and values of dermal pesticides found in NHEXAS households relative to Border homes is likely due to increased variability and use of home-based pesticide products; however, the similarity between the median values suggests that the majority of homes may be exposed to pesticides similarly. Variation of dermal pesticides between counties may be due to agricultural use patterns while significant correlations with air and floor dust values suggest that exposure may primarily be through these routes.
This research was funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (CR 821560 & 824719). This abstract has been subjected to Agency review and approved for presentation.