Exposure of amateur gardeners to pesticides via the non-gloved skin per day

Abstract

To predict a risk to gardeners not wearing protective gloves, the dermal absorption of three active insecticides was assessed in vitro using porcine ear-skin simulating 1-h handling of diluted plant protection products. Acetamiprid and Pirimicarb were found in the receptor fluid immediately after 1-h skin exposure, whereas Chlorpyrifos-methyl absorbed in the skin was not released into the receptor fluid even after 23 hours. The Estimated Gardener Exposure Level (EGEL) at 23 hours after 1-h exposure for two worst-case scenarios (i) non-gloved hands; (ii) non-gloved hands/uncovered forearms, was (i) 0.002, 0.042, and 0.057; (ii) 0.006, 0.101, and 0.135 mg/kg bw/day for Acetamiprid, Pirimicarb, and Chlorpyrifos-methyl, respectively, although the systemically available Chlorpyrifos-methyl amount, due to retention in the skin, is probably lower than determined. The Gardener Exposure Risk (GER), as a ratio of Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (databased values) to EGEL, for Acetamiprid was (i) 35 and 12-fold higher than the limit 1, so the risk via the skin is assumed to be low. Based on the GER values of (i) 0.83 and 0.18; (ii) 0.34 and 0.07 (i.e.<1) for Pirimicarb and Chlorpyrifos-methyl, respectively there is a level of concern regarding the health risk to gardeners handling pesticide products without skin protection.

Keywords: Dermal absorption; Exposure evaluation; Non-professional user; Pesticides; Plant protection products; Risk assessment.