Exposure of spray-operators to Fenitrothion in apple orchards / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The exposure levels of nine spray-operators in apple orchards to Fenitrothion (MEP) was measured. The pesticide was sprayed in the form of a 1, 000-fold diluted solution of a 40% MEP wettable powder by using power sprayers.<BR>The operators were wearing protective non-woven clothes, masks (Sumitomo 3M 1780) and rubber gloves.<BR>The estimated exposure amount of MEP per operator was 217mg on average when a sprayer with a short rod (50-70 cm) was used. In the case of using a long rod (100-120 cm), the amount was less, indicating 44mg on average.<BR>The estimated amount of MEP penetrating the operator's clothing was 7.6mg on average, ranging from 1.2 to 23.9mg.<BR>The penetration rate averaged 6.3%.<BR>We calculated the MEP concentration in the air around the worker's mouth estimated from the amounts of MEP on the masks and from those in the sampling columns. The results averaged 0.258 mg/m<SUB>3</SUB> and 0.022 mg/m<SUB>3</SUB>, respectively.<BR>MEP was detected in blood samples from all the operators (0.0004-0.0222 ppm) immediately after the spray work and in blood samples from four of the nine operators (0.0004-0.0009 ppm) after one day, but not detected in any of the nine blood samples after three days.<BR>A decrease in blood ChE activities of the operators was not observed.<BR>The amount of MEP absorbed into the operator's body was calculated to be 0.34 to 2.59 mg. These calculations were based on the amount of the metabolites (converted into nitro-m-cresol) in the urine samples collected from the operators over a period of 24 hours after the spray work. However, the metabolites were detected in the spot urine samples of only one of the nine operators after three days and in none of the spot samples after seven days.<BR>These results show that a small amount of MEP was absorbed into the operator's body, suggesting that the spray-operator should not do the spray work day after day. However, from the point of view of the percutaneous and inhalation toxicity of MEP, we concluded that the sprayoperators were not affected by MEP exposure in this case.