Risk assessment of airborne pesticides in a Mediterranean region of Spain

Abstract

A risk assessment strategy based on the quantitative target analysis and semi-quantitative retrospective screening determination of pesticides in PM10 has been developed. The proposed methodology was applied to 345 real samples from nine stations of a Mediterranean area in Spain, and the risk was assessed for adult, children and infants. Forty pesticides were detected with average concentrations ranging from 8 to 30,000pgm−3. Each station showed its specific pesticide profile, which is linked to the different types of crops around each station. For adults, children and infants the estimated chronic inhalation risk, expressed as Hazard Quotient (HQ), was <1 for all pesticides. The cumulative exposure for organophosphates, neonicotinoids, benzimidazoles, carbamates, micro-organism and triazoles pesticides (HI, Hazard Index) were <1 for the three groups of populations assessed. For infants, the cancer risk estimated for the detected pesticides classified as possible and potential carcinogens were lower than 1.0 E-06, except for carbendazim and hexythiazox.