Ann. occup. Hyg., Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 245-260, 2002
© 2002 British Occupational Hygiene Society
Published by Oxford University Press
Article |
A Quantitative Approach for Estimating Exposure to Pesticides in the Agricultural Health Study
1National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH, RTP, NC, USA; 3US Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA; 4Temple University, Institute for Survey Research, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Received 22 January 2001; in final form 16 July 2001.
We developed a quantitative method to estimate long-term chemical-specific pesticide exposures in a large prospective cohort study of more than 58 000 pesticide applicators in North Carolina and Iowa. An enrollment questionnaire was administered to applicators to collect basic time- and intensity-related information on pesticide exposure such as mixing condition, duration and frequency of application, application methods and personal protective equipment used. In addition, a detailed take-home questionnaire was administered to collect further intensity-related exposure information such as maintenance or repair of mixing and application equipment, work practices and personal hygiene. More than 40% of the enrolled applicators responded to this detailed take-home questionnaire. Two algorithms were developed to identify applicators’ exposure scenarios using information from the enrollment and take-home questionnaires separately in the calculation of subject-specific intensity of exposure score to individual pesticides. The ‘general algorithm’ used four basic variables (i.e. mixing status, application method, equipment repair status and personal protective equipment use) from the enrollment questionnaire and measurement data from the published pesticide exposure literature to calculate estimated intensity of exposure to individual pesticides for each applicator. The ‘detailed’ algorithm was based on variables in the general algorithm plus additional exposure information from the take-home questionnaire, including types of mixing system used (i.e. enclosed or open), having a tractor with enclosed cab and/or charcoal filter, frequency of washing equipment after application, frequency of replacing old gloves, personal hygiene and changing clothes after a spill. Weighting factors applied in both algorithms were estimated using measurement data from the published pesticide exposure literature and professional judgment. For each study subject, chemical-specific lifetime cumulative pesticide exposure levels were derived by combining intensity of pesticide exposure as calculated by the two algorithms independently and duration/frequency of pesticide use from the questionnaire. Distributions of duration, intensity and cumulative exposure levels of 2,4-D and chlorpyrifos are presented by state, gender, age group and applicator type (i.e. farmer or commercial applicator) for the entire enrollment cohort and for the sub-cohort of applicators who responded to the take-home questionnaire. The distribution patterns of all basic exposure indices (i.e. intensity, duration and cumulative exposure to 2,4-D and chlorpyrifos) by state, gender, age and applicator type were almost identical in two study populations, indicating that the take-home questionnaire sub-cohort of applicators is representative of the entire cohort in terms of exposure.
Keywords: exposure assessment; pesticide exposure; agricultural exposures; farmers; pesticide applicators; occupational exposures
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  P. Lebailly, V. Bouchart, I. Baldi, Y. Lecluse, N. Heutte, A. Gislard, and J.-P. Malas Exposure to Pesticides in Open-field Farming in France Ann. Hyg., January 1, 2009; 53(1): 69 - 81. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. J. Hines, J. A. Deddens, L. B. Jaycox, R. N. Andrews, C. A. F. Striley, and M. C. R. Alavanja Captan Exposure and Evaluation of a Pesticide Exposure Algorithm among Orchard Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study Ann. Hyg., April 1, 2008; 52(3): 153 - 166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. R. Bonner, J. Coble, A. Blair, L. E. Beane Freeman, J. A. Hoppin, D. P. Sandler, and M. C. R. Alavanja Malathion Exposure and the Incidence of Cancer in the Agricultural Health Study Am. J. Epidemiol., November 1, 2007; 166(9): 1023 - 1034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Ritter and T. E. Arbuckle Can Exposure Characterization Explain Concurrence or Discordance between Toxicology and Epidemiology? Toxicol. Sci., June 1, 2007; 97(2): 241 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F Kamel, C. Tanner, D. Umbach, J. Hoppin, M. Alavanja, A Blair, K Comyns, S. Goldman, M Korell, J. Langston, et al. Pesticide Exposure and Self-reported Parkinson's Disease in the Agricultural Health Study Am. J. Epidemiol., February 15, 2007; 165(4): 364 - 374. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. E. Beane Freeman, M. R. Bonner, A. Blair, J. A. Hoppin, D. P. Sandler, J. H. Lubin, M. Dosemeci, C. F. Lynch, C. Knott, and M. C. R. Alavanja Cancer Incidence among Male Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study Cohort Exposed to Diazinon Am. J. Epidemiol., December 1, 2005; 162(11): 1070 - 1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Cocco, D. Fadda, B. Billai, M. D'Atri, M. Melis, and A. Blair Cancer Mortality among Men Occupationally Exposed to Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane Cancer Res., October 15, 2005; 65(20): 9588 - 9594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. J. Lee, A. Blair, J. A. Hoppin, J. H. Lubin, J. A. Rusiecki, D. P. Sandler, M. Dosemeci, and M. C. R. Alavanja Cancer Incidence Among Pesticide Applicators Exposed to Chlorpyrifos in the Agricultural Health Study J Natl Cancer Inst, December 1, 2004; 96(23): 1781 - 1789. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H A Young, P K Mills, D Riordan, and R Cress Use of a crop and job specific exposure matrix for estimating cumulative exposure to triazine herbicides among females in a case-control study in the Central Valley of California Occup. Environ. Med., November 1, 2004; 61(11): 945 - 951. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. C. R. Alavanja, M. Dosemeci, C. Samanic, J. Lubin, C. F. Lynch, C. Knott, J. Barker, J. A. Hoppin, D. P. Sandler, J. Coble, et al. Pesticides and Lung Cancer Risk in the Agricultural Health Study Cohort Am. J. Epidemiol., November 1, 2004; 160(9): 876 - 885. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. A. Rusiecki, A. De Roos, W. J. Lee, M. Dosemeci, J. H. Lubin, J. A. Hoppin, A. Blair, and M. C. R. Alavanja Cancer Incidence Among Pesticide Applicators Exposed to Atrazine in the Agricultural Health Study J Natl Cancer Inst, September 15, 2004; 96(18): 1375 - 1382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Roulland, P. Lebailly, Y. Lecluse, M. Briand, D. Pottier, and P. Gauduchon Characterization of the t(14;18) BCL2-IGH Translocation in Farmers Occupationally Exposed to Pesticides Cancer Res., March 15, 2004; 64(6): 2264 - 2269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. J. Lee, J. A. Hoppin, A. Blair, J. H. Lubin, M. Dosemeci, D. P. Sandler, and M. C. R. Alavanja Cancer Incidence among Pesticide Applicators Exposed to Alachlor in the Agricultural Health Study Am. J. Epidemiol., February 15, 2004; 159(4): 373 - 380. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. C. R. Alavanja, C. Samanic, M. Dosemeci, J. Lubin, R. Tarone, C. F. Lynch, C. Knott, K. Thomas, J. A. Hoppin, J. Barker, et al. Use of Agricultural Pesticides and Prostate Cancer Risk in the Agricultural Health Study Cohort Am. J. Epidemiol., May 1, 2003; 157(9): 800 - 814. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. VAN-WENDEL-DE-JOODE, D. H. BROUWER, R. VERMEULEN, J. J. VAN HEMMEN, D. HEEDERIK, and H. KROMHOUT DREAM: A Method for Semi-quantitative Dermal Exposure Assessment Ann. Hyg., January 1, 2003; 47(1): 71 - 87. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|