An assessment of gases in oxygen-deficient hay silos and the effects of forced ventilation.

Many modern tower silos used in the agricultural industry for hay and grain storage are oxygen-limiting by design. Forced-air ventilation using a forage blower is a method commonly used to decrease concentrations of toxic and asphyxiant gases and to increase the O2 content within a silo headspace prior to worker entry. This article describes the methods used to measure gas concentrations and the results obtained from a pilot study by the Washington Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program of two oxygen-limiting forage tower silos in eastern Washington State.

Child dermal sediment loads following play in a tide flat.

Dermal contact with sediment is sometimes identified as a pathway of concern in risk assessments. Dermal exposure to sediment is poorly characterized and exposure assessors may rely on default soil adherence values. The purpose of this study was to obtain sediment adherence data for a genuine exposure scenario, child play in a tide flat.

Multipathway organophosphorus pesticide exposures of preschool children living in agricultural and nonagricultural communities.

Environmental measurements of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides were conducted in the homes of 13 children, who lived either in the Seattle metropolitan area or in the agricultural region of Washington State, to ascertain exposure through multiple pathways. Each home was sampled for two 24-h periods during two seasons, summer and fall. Samples included 24-h indoor air, drinking water, soil, house dust, and hand and toy wipes and 24-h duplicate diets.

Comparison of organophosphorus pesticide metabolite levels in single and multiple daily urine samples collected from preschool children in Washington State.

A total organophosphorus pesticide exposure study was conducted in Washington State in 1998 in a sample population of 13 children aged 2.5-5.5 years.

Assessment of organophosphorous pesticide exposures in the diets of preschool children in Washington State.

Twenty-four hour duplicate diet sampling was employed to investigate dietary pesticide exposures of children aged 2 to 5 years. Duplicate diets were collected from seven children living in the Seattle metropolitan area and six children living in Chelan and Douglas counties in Central Washington. Diet samples were collected from each child in the summer and again in the fall, and total daily diets were divided into four food categories: fresh fruits and vegetables, beverages, processed foods, and dairy products.