Pesticide exposure in dwellings near bulb growing fields in The Netherlands:an explorative study.
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1
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2
Science Shop for Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Corresponding author
Astrid Hogenkamp
Science Shop for Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2004;11(1):149-153
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
An explorative field study was conducted to assess residential exposure to
pesticides, regularly applied in bulb farming. House dust floor samples were taken from
homes of bulb farmers (n = 12) and from homes in close proximity to a bulb field (i.e.
non-farmers) (n = 15). Samples were analysed for 7 pesticides used by bulb growers in
the sampling period. Of these pesticides, chloropropham, flutolanil and vinchlozolin
could be detected in non-farmers homes. All pesticides were detected in farmers’
homes, except metamitron. Median concentrations for chloropropham were significantly
higher in farmers’ homes (0.05 vs. 0.02µg/m2, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analyses
showed that the odds for detecting pesticides were higher in farmers’ compared to non-
farmers’ homes and remained higher after correction for potential confounders. Results
showed no significant effect of proximity of a residence to a bulb field for median
concentrations of pesticides; however, logistic regression analysis showed a borderline
statistically significant effect for detecting chloropropham above the detection limit (OR
= 10, p = 0.08). These findings demonstrate that, as expected, risk of exposure is higher
for bulb farmers than for non-farmers. They also indicate that exposure to pesticides is
not limited to bulb farmers only, and this warrants further investigation.