3.5. Human exposure
The measurements of pesticide deposition on farmers’
bodies indicate that the legs are by far the most severely
exposed part of the body (Fig. 2). Taking relative body
proportions into account, the deposition of pesticide
formulation on legs is even 31 times higher than on arms.
Deposition on arms in turn contributes slightly more
(by about 2%) to the total body burden than deposition on
hands.
In Table 5, the pesticide deposition levels established for
different parts of the body have been converted to levels of
exposure to the seven most commonly applied active like the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate and butachlor
lead to the highest exposure per single application, these
pesticides are less toxic and only applied once or twice a
year, as opposed to the Restricted Use insecticides lambda
cyhalothrin and cypermethrin, which are applied 5 or 6
times per year. Although exposure levels were determined
for rice farmers, similar, or possibly even higher, exposure
levels are expected for farmers in corn fields during a single
application. This is not necessarily true for exposure levels
during a cropping season or a whole year, though. Rice
fields undergo insecticide spraying five or six times a year,
while corn fields are sprayed four times a year on average.
However, a.i. concentrations in spray mixtures as well as
application rates vary between cropping seasons and
among rice and corn growers and for both categories of
farmer exposure levels clearly depend on a.i. concentrations
and application rates, with the risk to which they are
subject also governed by the time elapsing between
applications.
In this context the type of pesticide application equipment
used by the farmers is crucial. Although different
brands of sprayers are used, the devices are all essentially sprayer and a mechanical pumping device, with a pumping
handle located above shoulder level. The vast majority of
farmers in this study had never received any formal
training on the use of pesticides and knapsack sprayers,
learning methods of spraying and tank filling by imitating
relatives or neighbours. Although trainings for farmers are
organized by the regional Department of Agriculture,
funds of government institutions are limited and pesticide
spraying is apparently a training topic of low priority. Of
the 104 respondents interviewed, 31 reported using a
knapsack sprayer that was currently leaking.
At the time of the study, proper protective clothing such
as rubber gloves, boots, a rubber apron and professional
respiratory protection was not available to the farmers.
The usual clothing worn during spraying consisted of thin
trousers or shorts, a T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt, often
with holes, bare feet or toe slippers, some form of headcover
(mainly for protection from the sun rather than
pesticides) and a cotton cloth tied in front of the mouth
and nose to limit inhalation.
3.5. Human exposure
The measurements of pesticide deposition on farmers’
bodies indicate that the legs are by far the most severely
exposed part of the body (Fig. 2). Taking relative body
proportions into account, the deposition of pesticide
formulation on legs is even 31 times higher than on arms.
Deposition on arms in turn contributes slightly more
(by about 2%) to the total body burden than deposition on
hands.
In Table 5, the pesticide deposition levels established for
different parts of the body have been converted to levels of
exposure to the seven most commonly applied active like the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate and butachlor
lead to the highest exposure per single application, these
pesticides are less toxic and only applied once or twice a
year, as opposed to the Restricted Use insecticides lambda
cyhalothrin and cypermethrin, which are applied 5 or 6
times per year. Although exposure levels were determined
for rice farmers, similar, or possibly even higher, exposure
levels are expected for farmers in corn fields during a single
application. This is not necessarily true for exposure levels
during a cropping season or a whole year, though. Rice
fields undergo insecticide spraying five or six times a year,
while corn fields are sprayed four times a year on average.
However, a.i. concentrations in spray mixtures as well as
application rates vary between cropping seasons and
among rice and corn growers and for both categories of
farmer exposure levels clearly depend on a.i. concentrations
and application rates, with the risk to which they are
subject also governed by the time elapsing between
applications.
In this context the type of pesticide application equipment
used by the farmers is crucial. Although different
brands of sprayers are used, the devices are all essentially sprayer and a mechanical pumping device, with a pumping
handle located above shoulder level. The vast majority of
farmers in this study had never received any formal
training on the use of pesticides and knapsack sprayers,
learning methods of spraying and tank filling by imitating
relatives or neighbours. Although trainings for farmers are
organized by the regional Department of Agriculture,
funds of government institutions are limited and pesticide
spraying is apparently a training topic of low priority. Of
the 104 respondents interviewed, 31 reported using a
knapsack sprayer that was currently leaking.
At the time of the study, proper protective clothing such
as rubber gloves, boots, a rubber apron and professional
respiratory protection was not available to the farmers.
The usual clothing worn during spraying consisted of thin
trousers or shorts, a T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt, often
with holes, bare feet or toe slippers, some form of headcover
(mainly for protection from the sun rather than
pesticides) and a cotton cloth tied in front of the mouth
and nose to limit inhalation.
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