Grantee Research Project Results
Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides in a Mexican Agricultural Community
EPA Grant Number: U915659Title: Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides in a Mexican Agricultural Community
Investigators: Chapa, Guadalupe
Institution: University of California - Los Angeles
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: August 1, 1999 through August 1, 2002
Project Amount: $80,621
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Fellowship - Ecological Risk Assessment
Objective:
The main objective of this research project is to quantitatively assess exposure to organophosphate pesticide (OP) residues in farm workers and their families. Specific hypotheses are: (1) children of agricultural workers living in close proximity to fields where their fathers work will be exposed to higher OP residue levels from environmental media in their homes than those living further away; (2) the OP residue levels attributed to the pesticide applicator's use in the fields will be correlated with the OP pesticide urinary metabolite levels in other family members; and (3) work, hygiene practices, pesticide use, and storage practices in the field and home will affect the levels of OP urinary metabolites in agricultural workers and their families.
Approach:
A sampling strategy that integrated the target OP pesticides, multi-media, and multiple exposure pathways was implemented to determine the contribution of environmental and occupational exposures to the total OP pesticide exposures for pesticide applicators and their families. From May 1999 to February 2000, 36 families participated in a multimedia exposure assessment study. These families participated in three 24-hour sampling periods throughout the season. Participants from each family included a pesticide applicator, a female adult or spouse, and at least two children. During each sampling period, micro-environmental (indoor air, outdoor soil, and house dust), biological (urine), personal dermal (hand wipes), and occupational samples (personal air and dermal wipes during an application event) were collected from pesticide applicators and their families.
Expected Results:
The sampling strategy will provide a means for assessing exposure to organophosphate pesticide residues in farm workers and their families.
Supplemental Keywords:
organophosphate pesticides, exposure assessment, multimedia., Health, Scientific Discipline, Health Risk Assessment, Epidemiology, Risk Assessments, Biochemistry, blood samples, organophosphorous, Mexican workers, exposure, pesticides, human exposure, minorities, field workers, dietary exposure, exposure assessment, farm worker, human health riskProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.