Monitoring for Non-Occupational Exposure to Pesticides in Indoor and Personal Respiratory Air

摘要

Methodology based on collection of pesticides on polyurethane foam and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was evaluated for 30 pesticides commonly used in and around the home. As part of a 9-home pilot study in an urban-suburban area of the southeastern U.S., air samples were collected over 24-hr periods inside and outside of private residences. In addition, one resident from each home wore or kept nearby portable samplers to determine personal exposure while at home or away. Over 20 of the target pesticides were detected in indoor air at levels above the 0.01 micrograms per cu.m. detection limit. Air concentrations were significantly higher indoors than outdoors, and more pesticides were detected indoors. The most prevalent pesticides (and their average concentrations) were chlorpyrifos (2.3 micrograms per cu. m.), diazinon (1.4 micrograms per cu.m.), propoxur (0.04 micrograms per cu.m.), and heptachlor (0.09 micrograms per cu.m.). Personal exposure monitoring revealed air concentrations which were generally similar to the simultaneously-determined indoor air levels, suggesting that most of the respiratory exposure occurred within the house. Collocated samplers operated at flow rates of 1.2 to 225 L/min yielded similar results.