Health Risk Assessment of Organophosphate... : Epidemiology (original) (raw)

Abstracts: ISEE 22nd Annual Conference, Seoul, Korea, 28 August–1 September 2010: Exposure Assessment by Various Media and Pathways

Health Risk Assessment of Organophosphate Pesticides Exposure for Chilli-growing Farmers in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Northeastern, Thailand

Wattasit Siriwong
Nutta Taneepanichskul
Saowanee Norkaew
Sumana Siripattanakul
Srilert Chotpantarat
Mark Robson

Epidemiology

22(1):p S84-S85, January 2011.

| DOI: 10.1097/01.ede.0000391923.84940.e3

O-30B6-1

Background/Aims:

Health risk assessment of organophosphate pesticides exposure associated with dermal exposure in chilli-growing farmers was conducted during growing season from December 2009 to January 2010 at one of the biggest area for chilli farm in Thailand located at Ubon Ratchathani province, Northeastern, Thailand.

Methods:

From 330 chilli-growing farmers interviewed, organophosphate insecticides, that is, profenofos and chlorpyrifos were commonly used in this area. These wide-spectrum insecticides are used to control insect pests. Profenofos and chlorpyrifos residues on chilli-growing farmers' hand after spraying were collected using hand-wiping technique. Liquid-liquid extraction technique was used and then analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with a selective detector, flame photometric detector.

Results:

The mean concentration of profenofos and chlorpyrifos was 5.89 and 6.95 mg/kg, respectively. A deterministic risk assessment associated with dermal exposure was evaluated using reasonable maximum exposure of both central tendency and 95th percentile (upper bound) point estimates for all variables in the risk equation. Average daily dose (mg/kg/d) of profenofos and chlorpyrifos were 1.89 × 10 − 8 mg/kg/d and 2.00 × 10 − 8 mg/kg/d, respectively. The worst-case risk scenario characterized that these insecticides may not potentially pose a risk of noncarcinogenic effects to the chilli-growing farmers related to dermal exposure (hazard quotient [HQ] <1).

Conclusion:

This study suggested that an assessment of inhalation exposure is needed because the farmers mentioned an acute and repeated or prolonged effects of organophosphates after their application.