Valutazione e gestione del rischio da antiparassitari in agricoltura: l'esperienza della Regione Lombardia

The evaluation of chemical risk in agriculture is complicated because of difficulties in obtaining measures representative of working conditions This is the reason why experiences finalized at producing risk estimates are running. In this frame, a Regional working group has developed the project “Pesticide exposure and risk profiles in agriculture”. Priority scenarios have been selected and the main variables correlated with pesticide exposure have been pointed out. A value for each variable has been defined. The sum of these values allows the definition of “Exposure Indices” (EI), which can be reduced by multiplication for a coefficient calculated based on use of personal protective devices, training and education and equipment conditions. A Risk Index is calculated as the product of EI per a toxicity index, calculated based on the risk phrases of the substances used (“Risk Profile”). Risk Profiles allow the production of risk estimates and the definition of the appropriate preventive interventions. Next phase will be addressed at the validation of the model, to be carried out through the determination of the levels of concordance between the risk class allocation obtained from the model and the one obtained from environmental and biological measures, in the same groups of workers

Valutazione e gestione del rischio da antiparassitari in agricoltura: l'esperienza della Regione Lombardia

none11The evaluation of chemical risk in agriculture is complicated because of difficulties in obtaining measures representative of working conditions This is the reason why experiences finalized at producing risk estimates are running. In this frame, a Regional working group has developed the project “Pesticide exposure and risk profiles in agriculture”. Priority scenarios have been selected and the main variables correlated with pesticide exposure have been pointed out. A value for each variable has been defined. The sum of these values allows the definition of “Exposure Indices” (EI), which can be reduced by multiplication for a coefficient calculated based on use of personal protective devices, training and education and equipment conditions. A Risk Index is calculated as the product of EI per a toxicity index, calculated based on the risk phrases of the substances used (“Risk Profile”). Risk Profiles allow the production of risk estimates and the definition of the appropriate preventive interventions. Next phase will be addressed at the validation of the model, to be carried out through the determination of the levels of concordance between the risk class allocation obtained from the model and the one obtained from environmental and biological measures, in the same groups of workers.noneC. Colosio; E. Ariano; G. Catenacci; G. De Paschale; A. Firmi; F. Metruccio; A. Moretto; S. Savi; L. Settimi; C. Somaruga; L. MacchiColosio, C.; Ariano, E.; Catenacci, G.; De Paschale, G.; Firmi, A.; Metruccio, F.; Moretto, A.; Savi, S.; Settimi, L.; Somaruga, C.; Macchi, L

Integrazione di monitoraggio ambientale e biologoico e della stima modellistica dell\u2019esposizione per la valutazione del rischio da prodotti chimici degli agricoltori

We disclose preliminary data of an ongoing pilot study in rice and maize cultivations in Lombardy (Italy) which use propanil and terbuthylazine as herbicide treatments. 24 small farms (one worker per farm) volunteered into the study. Pads positioned above and below clothing were employed to measure dermal exposure to agrochemicals during application and urine analysis was employed to measure its absorption through excretion of the main metabolites in pre- and post-application 24-hour urine samples. The study estimated that the workers\u2019 median levels of whole-body exposure to spray-applied propanil was of 0.032 (0.01-1.24) parts-per-million of applied agrochemical. Referring to 24-hour post-application excretion of the main metabolite of propanil, 3,4 dichloroaniline, the median absorbed dose resulted of approx. 0.3 parts-per-million of applied propanil, corresponding to approx. 0.18 microg/kg of body weight of the examined farmers. Compared to the health-based AOEL of 70 microg/kg/die of body weight defined in the authorization warrant, this value allows to assess that these workers are facing a toxicologically unrelevant exposure. BM was able to highlight the accidentally high absorption (100-fold higher) of propanil by one farmer who splashed himself during preparation or application and that also this worker was safely within the AOEL

Valutazione del rischio da antiparassitari per l'operatore addetto al diserbo del riso e del mais nella regione Lombardia : risultati di una indagine pilota

This pilot study has been carried out in the region of Lombardy (Italy) with the aims of: (1) assessing pesticide exposure and risk in herbicide application in rice and maize crops and (2) testing an integrated approach, in which all the main variables related with working modalities are considered, and the levels of exposure are assessed through the determination of both external and internal dose. Nine small agricultural enterprises have been considered, 4 engaged in rice and 5 in maize cultivation, with 1 applicator/each. The study pointed out median levels of absorption of 1.02 mcg/kg/die(range: 16.04 \u2013 0.81), for propanil and 0.02 mcg/kg/die (range: 0.074 \u2013 0.009) for terbutilazine. The absorbed dose resulted largely minor than Acceptable Operator Exposure Levels (AOELs) in all the subjects considered. The levels of excretion of 3,4 dichloroaniline showed a statistically significant difference between pre exposure (Median = n.c.) and post exposure levels (Median \ue9 24.5mcg/24h), whilst no difference was observed for terbutilazine excretion. Finally, correlation between calculated internal dose and metabolite excretion was significant (Spearman\u2019s rho = 0.9, p < 0,05). In conclusion, our study suggests that, in the exposure scenario considered, the risk for the operator is negligible, Moreover, our approach might allow the definition of biological exposure indices for selected pesticides and be useful for the creation of exposure and risk profiles

Farmers\u2019 exposure to herbicides in North Italy: assessment under real-life conditions in small-size rice and corn farms

Although rice and corn are two main cash crops in Lombardy (North Italy) and their cultivation involves several thousands of farmers, risk assessment of pesticide exposure is rarely done, especially in small and medium sized enterprises. With the use of pads for environmental monitoring (OECD protocol), of pre- and post-exposure 24-hour urine collection for biological monitoring and of hand wash for hands\u2019 exposure, we measured the exposure of 28 agricultural workers to propanil and terbuthylazine in real-life working conditions. In propanil applicators, median daily exposure on the clothes was 73.5 mcmol per worker, while the exposure on the skin was 22.4 mcmol. For terbuthylazine, these exposures were 37.2 mcmol and 0.86 mcmol per worker, respectively. Median excretion of the propanil metabolite (3,4-dichloroaniline) after exposure was 84 nmol in 24-hour urine, and 13 nmol for the metabolite of terbuthylazine. Risk assessment performed by comparing to the AOELs of the applied active ingredients with an estimated internal dose, obtained based on the measured levels of skin and hand exposure and the percentage of dermal absorption of the active ingredients considered showed that 4 propanil workers, and no terbuthylazine workers, were overexposed. Our study helps define and confirm relationships between different exposure determinants, which can be used in the development of tools for risk assessment of exposure to pesticides in small and medium sized enterprises

Waves of infection and waves of communication: the importance of sharing in the era of Covid-19

No abstract availabl