Assessment of Dermal Pesticide Exposure Inside Greenhouses Using Fluorescent Tracer Method

Abstract

The main object of the search work is to assess the dermal pesticide exposure inside greenhouses during its application and to compare pesticide pollution resulted from handgun sprayer with its values of a vertical boom sprayer prototype. Fluorescent tracer, is semi-quantitative dermal exposure assessment method based on visual observations of fluorescence images, had been used to demonstrate the extent to which dermal exposure can occur under inadequate protective conditions. 22 body segments (˃ 90% of the total body surface area) scored for all workers. Prototype is superior to handgun sprayer, contaminated area ratio of glasses was 0.28% -no pollution for the mask versus 8.11% and 9.15% respectively. Trunk, buttock, chest and shoulder contaminated area with handgun sprayer were 1.75, 1.60, 0.60 and 6.69 % (front view) and were 1.79, 9.51, 0.73 and 0.00 at back view versus no pollution (0.00 %) in all previous cases with vertical boom sprayer prototype. No pollution in any area of worker's arms compared to polluted area ranged between 0.00 and 8.17% for handgun sprayer. Contaminated area of gloves (5% of total body area) ranged between 0.00 and 0.92 % for vertical spray boom prototype versus 11.72 % -19.50 % for handgun sprayer. Worker's legs exposed to some pollution (0.42 % and 0.82%) against more detected exposure extended to 13.36 % for handgun sprayer. Regrettably, workers did not wear safety boots, though no data for feet area, which form about 7 % of total body area, was taken. Tested prototype maintained more working safety conditions when compared to handgun sprayer.