Occupational exposure to some synthetic pyrethroids (permethrin and fenvalerate)

In a two-step study on exposure control method for occupational handling of permethrin was developed. Air sampling on a filter can be used in case of exposure to permethrin in powder form. The detection limit is 0.001 mg/m3. If biological sampling is used, the acid metabolite moiety in the urine must be monitored. However, the uptake after exposure to permethrin in forestry was too low, and no urine concentration could be found. The detection limit is 0.1 microgram/ml. Six persons in a plant nursery and six planters were studied in this way. Interviews were conducted with 139 planters. Irritative symptoms form the skin and upper respiratory tract were reported in 73% for fenvalerate, 63% for permethrin (trans/cis 75/25) and 33% for permethrin (trans/cis 60/40).