Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
08:49
Vegetated Treatment Systems for Removing Contaminants Associated with Surface Water Toxicity in Agriculture and Urban Runoff
Published on: May 15, 2017
Pesticides in urban multiunit dwellings: hazard identification using classification and regression tree (CART)
Rhona Julien1, Jonathan I Levy, Gary Adamkiewicz
1Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA. julien.rhona@epa.gov
Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995)
|October 23, 2008
Summary
Identifying high pesticide residue homes in public housing is challenging. Classification and Regression Tree analysis (CART) effectively pinpointed pesticide-exposed households using detailed housing data, aiding targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Urban Housing Studies
- Toxicology
Background:
- Public housing units often face recurring pest infestations, leading to potential pesticide residue buildup.
- Identifying high-exposure households for targeted interventions is logistically and economically challenging due to the large number of units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a low-cost method for identifying public housing units with elevated pesticide residues.
- To provide data for housing authorities and residents to implement effective exposure reduction strategies.
Main Methods:
- Environmental samples were collected from 42 public housing apartments in Boston, MA.
- Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was used to correlate pesticide concentrations with housing characteristics.
- Focused on five organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides, including cyfluthrin.
Main Results:
- CART analysis showed good sensitivity and specificity with comprehensive household information, but poor performance with limited data.
- High cyfluthrin concentrations were linked to Hispanic residents living in apartments for over 5 years.
- Identified specific housing characteristics associated with elevated pesticide levels.
Conclusions:
- CART analysis is a viable exploratory technique for understanding pesticide exposure in large multiunit housing.
- This approach can inform risk management strategies to reduce household pesticide exposures in urban dwellings.
Related Concept Videos
01:36Types of Toxins
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
01:28Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
Pesticides often feature structurally complex chemical architectures, incorporating halogen groups and multiple aromatic rings. These characteristics confer high chemical stability, rendering many pesticides resistant to natural degradation processes. This resistance poses significant environmental concerns, as persistent pesticide residues can accumulate in ecosystems and affect non-target organisms.Despite the inherent stability of many pesticides, certain microorganisms possess the metabolic...
01:27Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...