Inhalation health risk assessment of occupational exposure to cypermethrin in farmers

ABSTRACT

Exposure to cypermethrin is common and can lead to acute and chronic health effects. This study aimed to determine the quantitative inhalation risk ofcypermethrinamong the farmers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in nine areas of Shiraz, Iran. Sampling of the respiratory zone was performed by OSHA PV-2063 method using XAD-2 adsorbent andquestionnaire was used to collect the required demographic characteristics and occupational information. Finally, the inhalation risk assessment for exposure to cypermethrin was performed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method.The mean time-weighted average (TWA) and hazard quotients (HQ) ranged from 0.21 ± 0.1 to 1.68 ± 0.65 and 0.58 ± 0.11 to 1.68 ± 0.46, respectively. 55.6% and 15.2% of the tree spraying and field spraying of the exposed group had HQ more than 1, respectively. Investigation shows that there is no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and HQ values (except height). Exposure frequency (EF), TWA and exposure hour per day had the strongest relationship with HQ.This study showed that the kind of spraying is effective in the amount of risk exposure. The most focus to reduce the health effects associated with inhalation exposure to cypermethrin should be on lowering TWA and exposure hour per day.Due to the high risk of exposure in farmers, it is necessary to identify other effective factors by conducting further studies and presenting their related practical plans.

KEYWORDS:

• Pesticide
• farmingworkers
• hazard quotients
• inhalation
• gas chromatography
• risk assessment

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

The ethics committees of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences approved the study (Approval ID #IR.SUMS.REC.1399.1002).

Additional information

Funding

The supports of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences [22092] is acknowledged.