Dermal exposure assessment to trinexapac-ethyl: a case study of workers in golf course in Hawaii, USA.

Abstract

Trinexapac-ethyl (TE) was more widely used in golf course worldwide. As a plant growth regulator, it inhibited grass development and delayed grass cutting date. Direct contact with TE by workers that handle and apply these agents can lead to harmful effects depending on the exposure dosage and duration. Many studies have focused on the growth regulation of TE in plants, while its health risks to human beings were rarely reported. Here, we investigated the risk assessment of workers directly dermal exposed to TE by using some absorbent paper patches. The exposure intensity (EI) and potential dermal exposure (PDE) of worker body sections were obtained, and different exposure patterns were compared. The EI of each body section among mixing/loading, hand-held power sprayer, and manual sprayer workers was ranging from 7.22 to 73.0 pg cm-2. The maximum EI of TE was found on hands of manual sprayers, while the minimum EI of TE was recorded on upper arms of mixing and loading workers. The maximum contribution sections was 29% for the chest and back from mixing/loading workers, 40% for the chest and back from hand-held power sprayers, and 32% for the thigh from manual sprayers. The unit weight potential dermal exposure (UWPDE) of hand-held power sprayers was 60% lower than that of manual sprayers, indicating that hand-held power sprayers were safer than those of manual sprayers. These findings revealed that trinexapac-ethyl posed relatively higher exposure risks to manual sprayer workers than other operator workers in golf course, mainly responsible for body sections of the chest and back and thigh.