%0 Generic %D 2017 %T Dermal exposure of Belgian florists to insecticide residues %A Toumi,K. %A Laure Joly %A Christiane Vleminckx %A Schiffers,B. %K an %K AS %K at %K Belgium %K biological sciences %K chromatography %K Combination %K effect %K exposure %K florist %K GC %K Hand %K health %K Lead %K LEVEL %K levels %K measure %K method %K national %K ON %K Order %K pesticide %K Pesticide residues %K Residue %K result %K results %K risk %K SAFETY %K Sample %K Samples %K Science %K situation %K STANDARD %K standards %K study %K time %K values %K WHO %K work %X

In order to assess the potential dermal exposure (PDE) and evaluate the risk for Belgian florists exposed to insecticides residues (carbamates, neonicotonoids, organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, etc.) during handling of cut flowers and preparing bouquets, a study was carried out with a group of florists. On one hand, 90 bouquets of the most commonly sold cut flowers in Belgium (roses, gerberas and chrysanthemums) were sampled and analysed to determine the residual pesticide levels on flowers. On other hand, 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 the dislodgeable pesticide residues transferred from flowers to hands. The residual pesticide deposits on flowers and gloves samples were analyzed with a combination of GC and LC chromatography and a multi-residue (QuEChERS) method. The PDE values were calculated in accordance with the EFSA Guidance Document 2014. The results show that 53 insecticides were detected on flowers and 55 insecticides on cotton gloves. An average of 0.6 mg/kg insecticide residues per flower sample were measured. Acephate had the highest mean and maximum concentration (4.8 and 21.9 mg/kg, respectively ) measured on cut flowers. At the PDE 90th Percentile, 15 of 55 active substances exceed the AOEL indicating many at risk situations for florists. Clofentezine had the most critical PDE P90 value which was 0.3 mg/kg bw per day (30 times higher than the value of AOEL). As a consequence, this study leads to conclude that Belgian florists, who worked for several years and handled a large number of flowers contaminated by high concentrations of pesticide residues, are exposed daily with a potential effect on their health. So, this work suggests that safety standards should be set for residue levels on cut flowers.

%B NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR APPLIED BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2017 %I NA %C NA %8 7/2/2017 %G eng %N KU Leuven %1 2674 %2 07/02/2017