Evaluation of Two Pesticide Samplers & Exposure Assessment of Iowa Pesticide Applicators

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker SO
• Description:
  Chronic exposure to pesticides has been associated with numerous adverse health effects including cancer, cognitive impairment, and endocrine system disruption. Because of their occupations, pesticide applicators may be at higher risk of illness from pesticide exposure. Due to their semi-volatile nature, pesticides can exist both as particles and gases (vapors) in the air. Many pesticides have been assigned an inhalable fraction and vapor (IFV) endnote by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), indicating a need to sample for both their particle and vapor phases. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) methods recommend the OSHA Versatile Sampler (OVS) when sampling for both phases simultaneously (NIOHS Method 5600 & 5601; OSHA Method 62 & 63). Unlike the OVS, the IFV Pro (SKC Inc) was designed to be an inhalable sampler and has been identified in one study to have a higher mass collection efficiency than the OVS in a laboratory setting (Alex et al., 2021). The aims of this study were to: 1) assess the particle and dual-phase relative efficiencies of the OVS and IFV Pro in a simulated and real-world pesticide spraying operation; and 2) perform an exposure assessment of pesticide applicators from three Iowa companies. It was hypothesized that the IFV Pro would sample higher particle and vapor mass concentrations than the OVS and that participating pesticide applicators would not be exposed to significant levels of pesticide. Under the conditions in which the two samplers were compared in this study, results indicate an insignificant difference in the particle-phase collection efficiencies between the OVS (M=5.80 mg/m3, SD=1.77) and IFV Pro (M=5.56 mg/m3, SD=1.55) (t=1.48, p=0.11). Descriptive statistics did not prove that the OVS and IFV Pro relative dual-phase sampling efficiencies were different under the same conditions. Six applicators in this study experienced low exposure to glyphosate, dicamba, and MCPA herbicides. Exposure monitoring results indicate that the subjects are not at an increased risk of pesticide-induced illness and disease. Further research should assess the influence of directional drafts and other environmental conditions on the OVS, IFV Pro, and pesticide applicator exposure. Additional efforts should also be made to standardize an analysis method for the IFV Pro. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Insecticides Occupational Health Respiratory System Safety Solvents
• Keywords:
  Aerosol Sampling Inhalation Pesticides And Agricultural Chemicals Sampling Equipment Vapors
• ISBN:
  9798379785826
• Publisher:
  University of Iowa
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Thesis
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-66
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068684
• Citation:
  Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa, 2023 May; :1-66
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  University of Iowa
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Evaluation of two pesticide samplers & exposure assessment of Iowa pesticide applicators
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9110fb23311bcd6cf2bb1aafc9390e9bb0a3e51e030abf89943315f5f67815a37d45f100b9005b2c2ad15e6aad5bfb7487cc73e39dff4722cd03789d8f739579
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207274/cdc_207274_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.98 MB ]