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Contributions of children's activities to pesticide hand loadings following residential pesticide application

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 15, pages 81–88 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The role of children's activities in leading to pesticide exposure was evaluated by comparing pesticide loadings on the hands of children with the activities of the same children observed over a 4-h period. In all, 10 children ranging in age from 24 to 55 months were videotaped on the second day following a routine professional crack and crevice chlorpyrifos application in their homes. Before and following the video session, the children's hands were rinsed in isopropyl alcohol. Thus, only the chlorpyrifos that accumulated on and remained on the child's hands during the videotaping were removed for analysis after the videotaping session. The rinsate was analyzed for chlorpyrifos. The children's behaviors were quantified using virtual tracking device and the frequency and duration of behaviors, the hourly rate of behaviors, and the locations in which behaviors occurred were compared to hand loadings of pesticides. Pesticide hand loadings obtained following the videotaping sessions were associated with pesticide levels on surfaces and toys, but not with air levels. Pesticide loadings obtained following the videotaping sessions were also associated with frequencies, durations, and hourly rates of contact with bottles, and object-to-mouth behaviors, as well as contact duration with upholstered/textured surfaces. The hand loadings were also associated with the number of locations where the children exhibited object-to-mouth behavior and with children's use of house space during the videotaping sessions.

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Abbreviations

C18:

Carbon 18

HP:

Hewlitt Packard

ng/cm2:

nanogram per square centimeter ng/m3nanogram per meter cubed

r s :

spearman rho.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the families who participated in this study for their cooperation and support. This study was funded by US EPA technical services contract (OD-527-NAEX) to Natalie C.G. Freeman and Dow-Agro Sciences Grant in Aid to Paul J. Lioy.

The work presented here has not been subjected to EPA or Dow-Agro review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of either the agency or the corporation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. EOHSI, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Natalie C G Freeman & Paul J Lioy

  2. School of Public Health, UMDNJ, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Natalie C G Freeman, Paromita Hore & Paul J Lioy

  3. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, UMDNJ, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Natalie C G Freeman, Kathleen Black, Marta Jimenez & Paul J Lioy

  4. US EPA, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    Linda Sheldon & Nicolle Tulve

Authors
  1. Natalie C G Freeman
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  2. Paromita Hore
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  3. Kathleen Black
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  4. Marta Jimenez
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  5. Linda Sheldon
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  6. Nicolle Tulve
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  7. Paul J Lioy
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Correspondence to Natalie C G Freeman.

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Freeman, N., Hore, P., Black, K. et al. Contributions of children's activities to pesticide hand loadings following residential pesticide application. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 15, 81–88 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500348

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500348

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