Worker exposure to ethion in Florida citrus

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Ethion is an organophosphate pesticide used in citrus cultivation.
• Worker exposure to pesticides is a significant occupational health concern.
• Understanding exposure routes and levels is crucial for risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify dermal and respiratory exposure to ethion in Florida citrus spray operations.
• To assess the potential acute health hazards for workers involved in ethion application.
• To identify specific body parts with higher exposure levels.

Main Methods:

• Monitored 17 men in eight spray crews during citrus spray operations.
• Measured both dermal and respiratory exposure levels to ethion.
• Assessed cholinesterase (ChE) activity as a biomarker of exposure.
• Calculated exposure as a percentage of the probable human dermal LD50.

Main Results:

• Respiratory exposure accounted for less than 1% of total ethion exposure.
• Hands represented a significant portion of dermal exposure (42% for applicators, 76% for suppliers).
• Suppliers showed a greater decrease in ChE activity, linked to higher dermal ethion exposure.
• No acute symptoms of organophosphate poisoning were observed in any workers.

Conclusions:

• Dermal exposure is the predominant route for ethion in this setting.
• The overall acute hazard to workers using air blast equipment is relatively low under the studied conditions.
• Further attention to hand protection for pesticide handlers may be warranted.