ABSTRACT
A Monitoring system of shallow groundwater samples gathered from 7 villages in Etay El-Baroud rural area aiming at detecting the extent of water contamination via pesticide residues and the potential health risks imposed on community residents consuming such water, were the main targets of the current study. Chronic daily intake [CDI] of the detected pesticides was estimated for different exposure pathways and different age categories at both 5[th] and 90[th] percentiles of probability. Data disclosed that organochlorine pesticides were prevalent and epsilon DDT, heptachlor and endrin represent the most critical contaminants. epsilon CDI values of ingestion pathway were higher than those resulting from dermal pathway in an age-dependent manner particularly among children at 90[th] percentile. Estimated cancer risk and non-cancer risk values resulting from oral exposure were higher than dermal exposure. Children cancer risk was age-dependent and the total risk due to exposure ranged from 1.02x10[-4] to 3.01x10[-4] and 5.76x10[-4] to 2.09x10[-3] at 50[th] and 90[th] percentiles, respectively. Adults are expected to be exposed to higher burden of risk than children through the both tested pathways where, risk values recorded 7.68x10[-4] and 3.07x10[-4] at 50[th] and 90[th] percentiles, respectively. Residents [either children or adults] may be at risk since under the current exposure estimations since the predicted risk values exceeded the EPA threshold value [1x10[-4] -1x10[-6]] particularly at 90th percentile. Furthermore, hazard index values showed a higher trend than unity [2.19-6.48] at 90[th] percentile in case of children while the value increased in case of adults [9.37]. Risk prevention could be reached by minimizing the use of pesticides, raising farmer awareness with particular emphasis on using low-leaching-potential pesticides over high risk areas