Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticide mixtures with endocrine-disrupting activity.

Occupational exposure to pesticide mixtures comprising active substance(s) and/or co-formulant(s) with known/possible endocrine-disrupting activity was assessed using long-term activity records for 50 professional operators representing arable and orchard cropping systems in Greece, Lithuania, and the UK. Exposure was estimated using the harmonised Agricultural Operator Exposure Model, and risk was quantified as a point of departure index (PODI) using the lowest no observed (adverse) effect level. Use of substances with known/possible endocrine activity was common, with 43 of the 50 operators applying at least one such active substance on more than 50% of spray days; at maximum, one UK operator sprayed five such active substances and 10 such co-formulants in a single day.

Assessment of exposure of professional agricultural operators to pesticides.

This study investigates how field practices in handling and applying pesticides influence the long-term patterns of professional agricultural operators' exposure to pesticides. It presents the first use of a comprehensive pesticide application dataset collected on behalf of the European Food Safety Authority with 50 operators selected to cover arable and orchard cropping systems in Greece, Lithuania and the UK. Exposure was predicted based on the harmonised Agricultural Operator Exposure Model (AOEM) and compared with Acceptable Operator Exposure Levels (AOELs).

How does exposure to pesticides vary in space and time for residents living near to treated orchards?

This study investigated changes over 25 years (1987-2012) in pesticide usage in orchards in England and Wales and associated changes to exposure and risk for resident pregnant women living 100 and 1000 m downwind of treated areas. A model was developed to estimate aggregated daily exposure to pesticides via inhaled vapour and indirect dermal contact with contaminated ground, whilst risk was expressed as a hazard quotient (HQ) based on estimated exposure and the no observed (adverse) effect level for reproductive and developmental effects. Results show the largest changes occurred between 1987 and 1996 with total pesticide usage reduced by ca.

Contribution of household herbicide usage to glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in surface water drains.

Background: It is necessary to understand the extent to which different sources of pesticides contribute to surface water contamination in order to focus preventive measures appropriately. The extent to which glyphosate use in the home and garden sector may contribute to surface water contamination has not previously been quantified. The aim of this study was to quantify the widely used herbicide glyphosate and its degradation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in surface water drains (storm drains) that could be attributed to amateur, non-professional usage alone.

The potential environmental impact of pesticides removed from sprayers during cleaning.

Background: There is concern that pesticide residues on the external surfaces of sprayers could have an adverse impact on the environment if they are washed off, yet there is a need to remove these residues for health reasons. The aim of this study was to quantify pesticide residues contained in washings from cleaning discrete parts of a sprayer and to assess their likely environmental impact.

Results: The boom/rear of the sprayer and the spray tank accounted for 80% of the total pesticide load in the washings.

Transferability of six pesticides from agricultural sprayer surfaces.

Secondary exposure to pesticide residues on the external surfaces of sprayers does not currently form part of the risk assessment process. A measure of the ease with which residues may be transferred from the sprayer surface to the operator would enhance the accuracy of any such assessment. This study quantified the dislodgeability of six pesticides from sprayer surfaces in order to calculate the transfer efficiencies.

Pesticide residues on the external surfaces of field crop sprayers: occupational exposure.

There is a general perception, amongst farmers and researchers, that post-application residues on the external surfaces of sprayers are negligible compared with residues remaining on the internal surfaces, although there have been few attempts to verify this assumption. The aim of this study was to investigate, using cotton glove sampling, operator exposure resulting from three typical operations: entering and working in the cab, general handling of the sprayer and maintenance practices. Samples were analysed for azoxystrobin, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, cyanazine, cypermethrin, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, isoproturon, kresoxim-methyl, metazachlor, pendimethalin, pirimicarb and tebuconazole.

Herbicide sorption to concrete and asphalt.

In order to accurately predict the fate and behaviour of herbicides following application to hard surfaces, an understanding of the processes involved is required. Previous studies have demonstrated that herbicides with a low soil organic carbon partition coefficient (K(oc)) are preferentially removed from concrete and asphalt surfaces. It is possible, therefore, that sorption may play a role in retaining herbicides to hard surfaces.

Pesticide residues on the external surfaces of field-crop sprayers: environmental impact.

There is increased awareness of the need to clean the external surfaces of sprayers, but the extent to which the washings may impact on the environment is not known. Quantification of the levels of external residues on sprayers could give an indication of the potential environmental impact of sprayer cleaning. The presence of azoxystrobin, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, cyanazine, cypermethrin, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, isoproturon, kresoxim-methyl, metazachlor, pendimethalin, pirimicarb and tebuconazole on thirteen sprayers, sampled on two occasions was investigated.

Herbicide loss following application to a railway.

Railways have been identified as a potential source of herbicides detected in surface and groundwaters, but there are few data to support this theory. Two studies were undertaken to investigate the fate of herbicides applied to railway trackbeds: a pilot study in a section of a disused, but intact, cutting where runoff and throughflow were sampled from trenches adjacent to the treated area, and a larger scale study on 0.75 km of embankment where surface water from the drainage ditch at the base of the embankment and groundwater were sampled.

Herbicide loss following application to a roadside.

Risk assessments for herbicides applied to roads are limited by the lack of knowledge on the fate and behaviour of the compounds in the urban environment. This study was designed to address this deficiency by quantifying the percentage loss of six herbicides following application to a roadside. Herbicides were applied on two occasions to a 16-m length of roadside and kerb edge.