Hutter, Kundi et al. 2008
Hutter, Kundi et al. 2008
HUTTER, H.-P., M. KUNDI, B. PIEGLER, P. HOHENBLUM, M. UHL, S. SCHARF, C. GUNDACKER, K. WITTMANN, B. DAMBERGER, P. TAPPLER, L. BORSOI & H. MOSHAMMER, 2008. Indoor exposure to pesticides in Austria with a special focus on children’s environment – the Middle-European perspective. In: First African Congress in Pesticides and Toxicology Sciences (Sudan, Wad Medani, 8-11 Nov. 2008). Contributed Oral and Poster Abstracts (oral presentation): 8-10.
Background:
Many pesticides are persistent organic pollutants that have been used since 1950. They are highly bioavailable, can be bioaccumulated and biomagnified in food chains. They can have adverse effects on human health, causing damage to the nervous system, diseases of the immune system, reproductive and developmental disorders, and cancer. With the detection of unfavourable toxicological data, some of these pesticides (e.g. DDT, PCP) have been banned in Austria since the nineties.
There are many ways in which human tissue can become exposed to pesticides. Food has long been thought to be the primary source of exposure for most persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. However, in recent years greater attention has been given to potential exposure via the indoor environment. Pesticide residues in the indoor environment are considered to be more persistent than outdoors since they are less likely to degrade. Consequently there still remains concern about exposure to pesticides, especially as regards exposure of children and pregnant woman.
In this study, the objective was to determine occurrence of selected pesticides in dust samples. Using two approaches (representative sampling and sampling once health problems have been noticed) the situation in Austria concerning indoor exposure to pesticides is described.
Methods:
In a recent project (LuKi - Air and Children) indoor air quality of Austrian schools was assessed. Pesticides in suspended and settled dust, along with other pollutants, were analysed by Austria’s Federal Environmental Agency. In total nine representative elementary schools in urban (Vienna, Graz) and rural areas (Carinthia, Lower Austria) were chosen and then several specimen from air and dust were collected on two occasions. The project was aimed at identifying sources of indoor pollution in schools.
The Austrian Institute for Healthy and Ecological Building performs indoor air analyses upon request because of health complaints. House dust samples collected from 41 households across Austria within the last two years were screened for pesticides.
Analysis of both institutions included in total 37 biocides (20 organochlorines like DDT and its metabolites, lindane, -HCH, dieldrine, endosulfane; 7 organophosphates, e.g. chlorpyriphos, diazinone, and 9 pyrethroids, e.g. permethrine, resmethrine).
Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) was sampled by means of high volume samplers (Digitel) during 24 hours. Floor dust samples for the analysis of pesticides were collected after one week sedimentation without wet and vacuum cleaning in schools respectively households. Samples were extracted at different pH milieus, combined and prepared for measurement with gas chromatography and mass selective detection.
Results:
In schools only few pesticides were found and usually not much above the detection limit. The highest concentrations in airborne dust were 4.4 ng/m³ for dieldrine, 3.7 ng/m³ for endrinaldehyde, and 2 ng/m³ for phenothrine. In settled dust six times permethrine (maximum concentration 30 mg/kg; minimum concentration 1,2 mg/kg), twice chlorpyriphos (1.7 and 2.6 mg/m³) and heptachlor (0.3 mg/kg, one finding) were detected. In 31 of the 41 household samples detectable quantities of pesticides were found. Of the 37 targeted pesticides, 11 compounds were detected in concentrations above the LOD (Limit Of Detection). In 22 cases PCP was found (max. 4.9 mg/m³, min. 0.11 mg/m³) followed by chlorpyriphos (17 times; max. 550 mg/m³; min. 0,2 mg/m³), DDT congeners (13 times; max 4.7 mg/m³, min. 0.11 mg/m³) and lindane (12 cases; max: 6.9 mg/m³, 0,11 mg/m³).
Discussion:
House dust is a repository for environmental pollutants that may accumulate indoors from both domestic and external sources over long periods of time.
Fortunately, in contrast to previous findings from private homes where pesticides have been detected in higher proportion and considerable amounts, school samples were almost free of contamination with pesticides. Results of indoor air samples in homes where once health problems have been noticed, show that persistent pollutants can still be a problem at special occasions (e.g. after pest control). Although the use of organochlorines like PCP, DDT and lindane has been reduced in Austria since 1970, these pesticides still can be detected in the environment and represent a potential threat to health. The prevalence of these pesticides which have been banned many years ago suggests on-going environmental presence. As long as such pesticides are produced somewhere in the world there is still the possibility that these substances are imported to and found in states/regions where they are prohibited.
air pollutants; health impact; environmental toxicology
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