Impact of - IDL-BNC @ IDRC - International Development Research ...

All activities
Left hand (73.2)
Left hand (43.8)
All Activities
Cloth Sections
Legs (1.4)
Other (1.3)
Back (0.8)
Right hand (23.3)
Patches
Right hand (17.1) Back(1
Right hand
Other (6.8)
(20
Thighs (6.0)
Legs (13.2)
Spraying - R2
Left hand (22.2)
Legs
(28.8)
Other (3.2)
Left hand (25.2) Back (9.9)
Other (11.6)
Back (5.2)
Thighs (12.6)
Fig. 2. Distribution of potential (cloth sections) and actual (patches) dermal
contamination in "all activities" and R2 spraying groups.
During spraying, the level of contamination of the hands varied. The farmers
practiced a swinging technique of spraying and shifted the sprayer extension
pipes from the left to the right hand and vice versa. For those who cleaned the
sprayer tanks, the right hand was the most contaminated, because it was used
most to accomplish the task. There was no dermal contamination in the reentry
groups.
Other areas of contamination included the back and lower leg. Exposure of
the back may have resulted from leaking knapsack sprayers, which were
poorly maintained, and from spillage during mounting. Contamination in the
lower leg during spraying and mixing and loading activities may be due to
wading in the treated areas during spraying operations.
Study two showed higher mean methyl parathion residues in the patches of
farmers who wore no protective clothing than for those who wore protective
clothing. Statistically significant differences were found in the level of residues
in patches on the left back, right and left lower legs, and left hand between
those who wore protective clothing and those who were unprotected.
67
Spraying - R2
Right hand (60.4)