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DERMAL TRANSFER EFFICIENCY OF PESTICIDES FROM TURF GRASS TO DRY AND WETTED PALMS
Citation:
Clothier, J. M. DERMAL TRANSFER EFFICIENCY OF PESTICIDES FROM TURF GRASS TO DRY AND WETTED PALMS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-00/026 (NTIS PB2000-101992), 2000.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this task is to contribute to a better understanding of human exposure to pesticides, especially for small children by developing methods to characterize sources and pathways in and around the residential environment. We will support the science behind FQPA and assist the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) in the development of guidelines for the assessment of residential exposure to pesticides. Specific research objectives include: (i) to evaluate and develop methods for measuring pesticides in air using passive/diffusive samplers. Assess and refine devices for the collection of surface transferable pesticide residues and to establish transfer efficiencies; (ii) to develop and apply analytical methods for new and emerging pesticides using both gas and liquid chromatographic methods in support of the National Exposure Research Laboratory's (NERL) Human Exposure Measurement Project; and, (iii) to conduct pilot studies investigating chiral chromatographic methods.
Description:
This report presents results of a study to determine the transfer of three pesticides commonly used in residential lawn care from turf grass to human skin. Formulation of the insecticides chlorpyrifos and cyfluthrin and the fungicide chlorothalonil were applied to St. Augustine grass and allowed to dry for 24 hours. Deposition coupons were used to estimate initial surface loadings and the PUF Roller was to measure dislodgeable residues. After 24 hours, adult volunteers performed hand presses (left and right hands, palm only) with either dry or wetted skin. Both water and the participant's own saliva were used as wetting agents. The mean (six presses) transfer efficiencies for chlorpyrifos were 0.115% for water-wetted, 0.156% for saliva-wetted, and 0.046% for dry skin. Transfer efficiencies for the other two pesticides were much higher (3.06, 2.72% and 1.29% for chlorothalonil and 4.02%, 4.18% and 2.93% for cyfluthrin, respectively), but the same relationship was observed: no essential differences between saliva- and water-wetted skin and substantially lower transfer efficiencies for dry skin.
The work reported in this internal report was performed for the Exposure Methods and Monitoring Branch, National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, during the period March to August 1999 under Work Assignment IV-105 to ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.