Key considerations for assessing soil ingestion exposures among agricultural workers

Area of Science:

• Occupational exposure science
• Environmental health
• Agricultural medicine

Background:

• Soil ingestion is a significant, yet understudied, exposure pathway for contaminants.
• Agricultural workers face frequent and direct soil contact, increasing their risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize key factors influencing soil ingestion among agricultural workers.
• To inform the development of improved exposure science tools for estimating soil ingestion.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 fruit and vegetable growers in Maryland.
• The study focused on characterizing growers' behaviors, concerns, and practices related to soil contact.

Main Results:

• Four themes emerged: variability in soil/dust descriptions, soil contact variability, concerns about soil contact, and practices to modify contact.
• Environmental, behavioral factors, and six specific agricultural tasks were identified as impacting soil ingestion rates.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide crucial considerations for enhancing indirect measurement tools for estimating agricultural soil ingestion.
• A task-based framework is proposed for future soil contact investigations, applicable to other populations.