An exposure characterization of a large scale application of a biological insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Elefant SL ; Elliott, Larry J. ; Heumann M ; Sokolow R
• Description:
  The characterization and documentation of exposure potential to Bacillus-thuringiensis (Bt), a biological insecticide used to eradicate the gypsy-moth, was presented. Bt was chosen for use in the state of Oregon for treatment of approximately 250,000 acres of forested and urban areas in Lane County in 1985 and 1986; personal exposure and area monitoring for Bt was conducted to determine occupational and nonoccupational exposure potential. Portable sampling pumps with membrane filters were used for air sampling; microbial culture techniques were used to identify Bt by toxin crystal formation. Occupational exposure ranged from 0 to 5600 colony forming units of Bt per cubic meter (CFU/m3); general public Bt exposure ranged from 0 to 1600CFU/m3. The results of the survey demonstrated ubiquitous distribution of Bt after application. The 1985 sampling method was not entirely adequate for quantitative determination of Bt environmental levels; improvements to the procedure in 1986 involved increasing the sampling flow rate and duration, using additional precautions to reduce contamination as a result of aseptic technique during the preparation and handling of blanks, and determining if indigenous strains of Bt were present (they were not). The authors conclude that while the gypsy-moth eradication project was extremely effective, Bt application of the magnitude used temporarily promotes widespread distribution of the organism throughout the environment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Hazardous Substances Insecticides Microbiology Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  NIOSH-Author; Insecticides; Microorganisms; Exposure-levels; Environmental-exposure; Biohazards; Occupational-exposure; Environmental-health-monitoring; Air-sampling
• ISSN:
  0882-8032
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; Oregon ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  119-122
• Volume:
  3
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00179570
• Citation:
  Appl Ind Hyg 1988 Apr; 3(4):119-122
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1988
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Industrial Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7dc847c09aedf140bc731323e8446b4703641ae07d6ad9e7b7238120dab30b8f7dcaa9b938d34d035f87873a0fe7fec262d5d13dcaf290925445e82b6de3b57d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/247632/cdc_247632_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 168.02 KB ]