Khaoula Toumi, Laure Joly, Christiane Vleminckx and Bruno Schiffers
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech - University of Li�¨ge, Belgium
Scientific Institute of Public Health, Belgium
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Clin Toxicol
Flowers receive heavy pesticide applications prior to shipment to control various pests, insect infestation and disease carriers, such as mosquitoes, ticks, which can damage production and marketability. In order to evaluate the risk for florists exposed to insecticide residues during normal professional tasks, cotton gloves distributed to 20 florists (two pairs to each florist) were worn during two consecutive half days during normal professional tasks (from min 2 hours to max 3 hours/day) to measure their potential dermal exposure (PDE). The residual pesticide deposits on gloves samples were analyzed with a combination of gas and liquid chromatography and a multi-residue (QuEChERS) method. A total of 55 insecticides were detected on cotton gloves, an average of 0.34 mg/kg insecticide residue per glove sample were measured. The active substances detected are known for their toxicological properties (acute toxicity, with an action on the nervous system). Many of them may affect the skin of the florists after dermal exposure and 4 of 55 are suspected of causing cancer after prolonged or repeated exposure. Novaluron are the substance active for which the highest average concentration (3.38 mg/kg). Clofentezine was both the active substance for which the highest maximum concentration (18.37 mg/kg), the most detected insecticide and the substance active has a PDE (worst case) the most critical (five times higher their AOEL). Consequently, florists who worked for several years and handle a large number of flowers contaminated with insecticide residues are exposed daily with a potential effect on their health.
Email: khaoula.toumi@doct.ulg.ac.be
