Occupational Poisoning Research Articles

Effectiveness of an educational program to promote pesticide safety among pesticide handlers of South India

Occupational poisoning with pesticides is common in developing countries because farmers are often under trained, illiterate and consider it impractical and expensive to use safety equipment, especially in tropical climates. Greater benefit of education programs on prevention can be obtained if initiated in areas having higher occurrence of poisoning. Hence, the present study evaluated occurrence of poisoning and effectiveness of educational interventions among pesticide handlers in areas having high occurrence of occupational poisoning. Two villages of Udupi district of South India were identified by spot mapping and targeted for a public education program on safe handling of pesticides, the impact of which was assessed using a knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. Education was provided using a structured individualized training program to 74 pesticide handlers. Three point KAP assessments were carried out at baseline, immediately after training and after 1 month of training. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests and Friedmann tests were used to compare scores at different time points and between groups. Occurrence of occupation related poisoning was 33% and common in three villages of the district. The average baseline KAP score of 30.88 +/- 10.33 improved after education significantly (P < 0.001) at first follow-up 45.03 +/- 9.16 and at second follow-up 42.9 +/- 9.54. A decline of score between the first and second follow-up may be attributed to decline in knowledge retention. Demographics like gender, literacy and presence of children affected KAP score and there was no influence of geography, age or frequency of pesticide use. Educational intervention among pesticide handlers improved the KAP score for safe pesticide handling. We recommend that continuous education and training programs for agricultural workers will promote awareness and minimize the hazards of occupational pesticide exposure.

ALS and mercury intoxication: A relationship?

We report the case of an 81-year-old woman in whom clinical signs and features of electromyographic activity patterns were consistent with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Increased blood level and massive urinary excretion of mercury proved mercury intoxication. Despite a chelation treatment with Meso 2–3 dimercaptosuccininc acid (DMSA), she died after 17 months. The pathophysiology of sporadic ALS remains unclear. However, the role of environmental factors has been suggested. Among some environmental factors, exposure to heavy metals has been considered and ALS cases consecutive to occupational intoxication and accidental injection of mercury have been reported. Although no autopsy was performed, we discuss the role of mercury intoxication in the occurrence of ALS in our case, considering the results of experimental studies on the toxicity of mercury for motor neuron.

Analysis for the association between genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1, XPD, XRCC3, CCND1 and the latency of the occupational chronic benzene poisoning

To explore the association between genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1, XPD, XRCC3 and CCND1 and latency of occupational chronic benzene poisoning. 80 patients diagnosed with occupational chronic benzene poisoning were investigated. PCR-RFLP was applied to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms of C26304T, G27466A, G28152A, G36189A of XRCC1, C22541A, C23591T, A35931C of XPD, C18067T of XRCC3 and G870A of CCND1. Their relationship with the latency of chronic benzene poisoning was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. The association of XRCC1 G27466A subgroup with the latency of chronic benzene poisoning was observed, as well as that of CCDN1G870A subgroup. The benzene-exposed workers with XRCC1 27466G/G homozygous wild genotype developed chronic benzene poisoning 6.9 years later than those had homozygous (27466A/A) or heterozygous (27466G/A) mutant alleles. On the other hand, the latency developing chronic benzene poisoning was longer in workers with homozygous (CCND1 870A/A) or heterozygous (CCND1 870G/A) mutant alleles than in those carrying 870G/G homozygous wild genotype (14.9 vs. 8.7 years). The polymorphisms of XRCC1 and CCND1 potentially modify the latency of the chronic benzene poisoning among workers exposed to benzene.

Anaemia and abdominal pain due to occupational lead poisoning

We describe a 47-year-old patient with chronic anaemia with basophilic stippling of erythrocytes, recurrent abdominal colics, discoloration of gums, sensitive polyneuropathy to the four limbs, hyperuricaemia, hepatosteatosis with raised transaminases, and a long ignored history of lead exposure in a battery recycling plant. The diagnosis of poisoning was confirmed by high lead levels in the blood and urine, decreased erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D), raised erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (ZP), and elevated urinary excretion of porphyrins. Chelation with EDTA resulted in increased urinary lead excretion, gradual improvement of the clinical picture, and progressive normalization of lead biomarkers. The case highlights the importance of occupational anamnesis for the diagnosis of lead poisoning, an uncommon condition which may mimic a variety of internal and surgical diseases. Since antiquity, lead has been extensively mined, produced, and utilized in a variety of industrial settings, such as metallurgy, construction, production of plastics, ceramics, paints and pigments. Lead and its compounds are systemic toxicants, and a wide range of adverse health effects (including haematological, gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and reproductive disorders) has been observed in exposed workers. The general population (particularly children) may also be exposed to toxic lead levels due to air, soil, food and water contamination. Thanks to the improvement of workplace hygienic conditions, the pathological picture of occupational lead poisoning (plumbism, saturnism) has gradually become less serious, at least in the most industrialized countries, and has progressively changed into aspecific, subclinical manifestations. We describe here an unusual case (nowadays) of anaemia and recurrent abdominal pain due to lead poisoning from battery recycling.

Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents in China between 1989 and 2003

To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 506 acute severe occupational poisoning accidents for 15 years with 4 657 workers poisoned. The total poisoning rate was 54.8%, and the total mortality was 16.5%. The average poisoning age was (31.9 +/- 9.8) years old and the average death age was (33.7 +/- 10.3) years old. The poisoning accidents occurred more in men than in women. (2) There were more than 112 chemicals which caused these poisoning accidents. Most of the accidents caused by hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, benzene and homologs, metal and metalloid and carbon dioxide, and the types of chemicals varied in different types of industries. (3) The accidents mainly occurred in chemical industry, manufacture, water disposal industry, mining and construction industry, and the risk was higher in some jobs than others, such as cleanout, machine maintenance and repair, production, mine and digging. The accidents occurred more frequently from April to August each year. (1) The control over the severe acute occupational poisoning is urgent. (2) The trend of the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents is centralized in the high risk industries, poisons and jobs. (3) The characteristics of the accidents varied in different types of industries. (4) It is the key point to strengthen the supervision on poisoning.

Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases in China between 1989 and 2003

To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 273 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases for 15 years with 1638 workers poisoned and 600 workers died, which accounted for 53.95% in total accidents and 35.17% of workers poisoned and 78.64% of workers died of all severe acute occupational poisoning accidents. The average poisoning age was (33.8 +/- 9.7) years old and the average death age was (36.6 +/- 10.0) years old. (2) Most of the accidents were caused by hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide respectively, and mainly occurred in chemical industry, mining, water disposal industry, paper making industry and brewing industry. The risk was higher in some jobs than others, such as cleanout, machine maintenance and repair, production, mine and digging. The poisoning accidents occurred more frequently from April to September each year and occurred in the confined space, in the basement and the mine, and workers died of poisoning mostly were men. (1) The severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases are more dangerous than others. (2) The control of poisoning accidents related to hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which occurred easily in the confined space, should be paid more attention to, and good work practice should be developed on some posts, such as digging, cleanout, dredge, machine maintenance and repair and mine.

Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents in China between 1989 and 2003

To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 58 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to organic solvents for 15 years with 393 workers poisoned and 48 workers died. The total poisoning rate was 51.2%, and the total mortality was 12.2%. The average poisoning age was (30.9 +/- 8.8) years old and the average death age was (30.6 +/- 12.0) years old. (2) There were 11 types of chemicals that caused these poisoning accidents, and most of the accidents were caused by benzene and homologs. (3) Most of the accidents occurred in manufacture, chemical industry, construction industry, transportation and storage industry, service and commerce. The risk was higher in some jobs than in others, such as paint spraying and cleanout. The poisoning accidents occurred more frequently from April to July each year. (4) The main causes of the accidents were poor ventilation (23.6%), lack of personal protection equipment (21.2%), lack of safety education (19.2%), and lack of safety work practice (15.8%) etc. The ventilation at the workplace involved in organic solvents should be maintained and the skin contacting directly with the organic solvents should be avoided, and it is encouraged to replace the poison with the nontoxic or lower toxic chemicals.

Prevent occupational poisoning, protect workers' health

随着科技进步和我国社会经济的快速发展,有毒有害物质使用的种类、数量不断增加,使用范围迅速扩大.据不完全统计,截至2003年,全球登记化学品总数为2 100多万种,其中实现商业用途570多万种,平均每天有20种新的化学品投入使用.其中有毒有害的物质,包括剧毒物质占有很大的比重.在我国登记生产的化学产品总数也已超过4.5万种.化学品快速增加,在改变人们生活的同时,人类面临着化学物的威胁也在增加.在我国,无论城市还是农村,中毒都占十大死亡原因中的第5位,中毒病例在全国大医院中占急诊就诊人数的6%～8%。

Analysis on acute occupational poisoning and severe accidents during "10th five year plan" in Hunan province

目的 了解急性职业中毒与恶性事故的特点及原因,为更好地制定防治对策与措施提供科学依据.方法 对湖南省"十五"期间报告的急性职业中毒病例和 中的数据,按中毒患者的工业系统、中毒物、专业工龄和恶性急性职业中毒事故发生的原因进行分类统计.结果 5年共报告急性职业中毒183例,其主要分布在轻工、煤炭、化工、三资企业、乡镇企业等工业系统.死亡17人,主要分布在冶金、三资企业、建设等工业系统.中毒物以砷化氢、一氧化碳、氯气、硫化氢等为主,中毒者的工龄以0～5年的青工居多.5年共报告24起恶性急性职业中毒事故,发生的原因主要是企业缺乏安全教育,没有个人防护,没有密闭通风排毒设备,没有安全操作规程等.结论 急性职业中毒与恶性事故仍然严重.重点应抓好对轻工、煤炭、化工、三资企业、乡镇企业及冶金、建设等工业系统和砷化氢、一氧化碳、氯气、硫化氢等急性职业中毒的防治,加强对劳动者尤其是青工的安全生产培训教育,建立与完善用人单位的通风排毒设备和安全操作规程,搞好对工人的个体防护。

Alice Hamilton

lice Hamilton, one of the most remarkable women of erican medicine, pioneered occupational epidemiol ogy in the United States. She got her MD degree from the University of Michigan in 1893 and then pursued studies in bacteriology and pathology at universities in Munich and Leipzig and at Johns Hopkins. After joining the faculty of Northwestern University's Women's Medical School, she took up residence at Chicago's famed Hull House with social reformer Jane Addams. In her autobiography, Exploring the Dangerous Trades, she described her experience at Hull House as arousing my interest in industrial diseases. Living in a working class quarter with laborers and their wives, I could fail to hear tales of the dangers that workmen faced ... Illinois then had no legislation providing compensation for injuries or diseases caused by occupations.... Hamilton was appointed in 1912 as director of the first statewide survey of occupational diseases in the United States. Her report of occupational lead poisoning in Illinois precipitated nationwide concern and led to her appointment as director of a national survey of industrial lead exposures. During the next 25 years, Hamilton identified health problems related to metal smelting, stone cutting, munitions manufactur ing, copper and mercury mining, use of benzene solvents, viscose rayon manufacturing, and (in collaboration with others) radium dial painting. Although Hamilton characterized herself as not a very courageous person, her field investigations frequently ex posed her to danger. Her nighttime visit to a copper mine began with a climb ... to the third storey ... on a sort of glorified ladder running up the outside wall, with open treads and a high hand rail on one side only.... The acid was in Alice Hamilton

Lead exposure, lead poisoning, and lead regulatory standards in China, 1990–2005

This article presents a summary of lead exposure levels and lead poisoning at workplaces in China reported in the Chinese medical literature between 1990 and 2005. A comprehensive literature search identified 618 papers reporting lead exposure and lead poisoning data. The data were analyzed in terms of time period, type of industry, size of factory, and task or process. In 2002 the new Occupational Diseases Prevention and Control Act was passed in China, with new provisions specifically for regulatory enforcement. Therefore, a comparison of lead exposure levels and lead poisoning rates before and after the 2002 Act will shed some light on the effectiveness of the new regulation. The reported lead exposure levels covered a wide range; some measurements were in excess of 250 mg/m 3, which was orders-of-magnitude higher than the occupational exposure levels (OELs) for lead in China. The overall arithmetic mean, median, and geometric mean were 0.92, 0.25, and 0.24 mg/m 3, respectively. Approximately 53.7% of the averages reported in the papers were above the national OELs. The data demonstrated that many facilities in the lead industries reported in the literature were not in compliance with the OELs. Similarly, there appeared to be only a minor impact of the 2002 Act on the reduction of occupational lead poisoning in China. The lead poisoning rates reported in the literature were well above 30%. Judging by the lead exposure levels and the lead poisoning rates, the current overall occupational health monitoring system appears inadequate, lacking the necessary enforcement. The 2002 Act, without the necessary enforcement, did not appear to have a major impact on either lead exposures or lead poisoning in China. Much work in enforcing the 2002 Act remains to be done.

Lead toxicity, white matter lesions, and aging

Lead was introduced commercially as a gasoline additive in 1923.1,2 Over the next 17 months, 13 workers died abruptly from occupational lead poisoning. The US Surgeon General’s office shut down production; this opened a debate about whether lead was too toxic to use safely. A government-appointed panel concluded that if regulated, lead was not that hazardous. They were wrong. As is clear in hindsight, lead exposure even at low doses is extremely toxic and automobiles do not need leaded gas to run properly. Leaded gas was banned in the late 1970s. Removing the lead from gasoline was the major factor in reducing the mean blood lead level of the US population from 15.8 to 2.8 μg/dL between 1976 and 1991.3 In this issue, Stewart et al.4 describe a cohort of chemical workers with occupational exposure to both organic and inorganic lead that they have followed since the early 1990s. About 18 years ago, the production process was closed and their lead exposure stopped. At that time the workers were between 40 and 70 years of age. Stewart et al. had …

A Case of Acute Organotin Poisoning

Abstract ─ A Case of Acute Organotin Poisoning Yu Jung Kim, Yangho Kim, Kyoung Sook Jeong, Chang Sun Sim, Nari Choy, Jongchul Kim 1) ,Jun Bum Eum 2) , Yoshiaki Nakajima 3) , Yoko Endo 3) , Cheol-In Yoo Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Neurology 1) ,Department of Internal medicine 2) , Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, KoreaResearch Center for Occupational Poisoning, Tokyo Rosai Hospital, Japan 3) Background : Although organotin compounds are widely used as PVC stabilizers, catalysts and bio-cides, their effects on humans are not well known. However, their acute intoxication is known to causeneurotoxicity in the central nervous system, renal toxicity, and hepatotoxicity. As there has been no pre-viously published case of organotin intoxication in Korea, we report here the first Korean case of acuteexposure to organotin. Case report : A 43-year-old male with disorientation and behavioral change was admitted to a hospital.He had been working as a tank cleaner for several different companies in the previous 8 years and a weekbefore admission, he had cleaned a tank containing dimethyltin (DMT) for 4 days. A day after finishingthe job, he suffered decreased memory, behavioral change and progressive mental deterioration when hearrived at the emergency room. The result of spinal tapping was negative but on the 4th day of admissionhe deteriorated into a state of coma along with metabolic acidosis and severe hypokalemia.High levels of DMT and trimethyltin (TMT) were detected in a highly sensitive urine analysis. Afterconservative treatment and chelation therapy, the patient showed some clinical improvement but the neu-rological defects persisted.

Green Tobacco Sickness in Children and Adolescents

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is cultivated in more than 100 countries, and in 2004, some 5.73 million metric tons dry weight of tobacco were grown worldwide. The top five tobacco producers forecast for 2004 are China (2.01 million metric tons; 35.1%), Brazil (757 thousand metric tons; 13.2%), India (598 thousand metric tons; 10.4%), United States (358 thousand metric tons; 6.2%), and Malawi (138 thousand metric tons; 2.4%). Together, these five countries account for two-thirds of worldwide tobacco production. Tobacco farming presents several hazards to those who cultivate and harvest the plant. Although some of these hazards, such as pesticide exposure and musculoskeletal trauma, are faced by workers in other types of agricultural production, tobacco production presents some unique hazards, most notably acute nicotine poisoning, a condition also known as green tobacco sickness (GTS). GTS is an occupational poisoning that can affect workers who cultivate and harvest tobacco. It occurs when workers absorb nicotine through the skin as they come into contact with leaves of the mature tobacco plant. GTS is characterized largely by nausea, vomiting, headache, muscle weakness, and dizziness. Historically, children have played a role in agricultural production in the United States, and they continue to do so today. This includes tobacco farming. The North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks, a set of injury prevention guidelines prepared by the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, lists GTS as one of several hazards children face when working on tobacco farms. Children 17 years of age and younger who work on U.S. tobacco farms come from three main groups: members of farm families, migrant youth laborers (primarily Latinos), and other hired local children. All three groups are at risk for GTS. Beyond the U.S., tobacco production using child labor is an emerging topic of concern in developing nations. An international movement, advocated by the Eliminating Child Labor in Tobacco Foundation, is underway to restrict child labor in tobacco production. GTS is a unique occupational poisoning associated with tobacco farming. We suspect that many public health practitioners, clinicians, advocates, and researchers are unaware of GTS among children and adolescents. In this article, we provide an overview of GTS among young people who work in tobacco, summarize reports documenting pediatric GTS cases, explain GTS etiology, and present three case studies of pediatric GTS in Kentucky. In addition, we discuss the need for expanded surveillance and prevention of GTS, both in the United States and globally.

The reporting system of acute pesticides poisoning and general situation of pesticides poisoning in China

To introduce the reporting system of acute pesticides poisoning and analyze epidemiologic characteristics of pesticides poisoning from reported cases in China. Case reports in the data base of reporting system for occupational diseases were computed by Excel for windows and statistical significance by SAS 6.12. A total of 108 372 cases were reported from 1997 to 2003. Among them, the incidence of occupational poisoning, and non-occupational poisoning accounted for 25.39%, and 74.61% respectively. The fatality rate was 6.86%. The average age was 36.83 years for all pesticides poisoning patients, and 15-59 years old patients accounted for 84.11%. Among 0-14 years old non-occupational poisoning patients, 0-4 years children accounted for 33.51%. Male patients were in the majority in occupational pesticides poisoning, female in non-occupational. Insecticides especially organophosphorus insecticides such as methamidophos, parathion, and omethoate comprised a higher proportion, accounting for 86.02% of the pesticides poisoning. More attention should be paid to pesticides poisoning by the government and medical workers engaged in public health.

Analysis of the situation of occupational health surveillance and the morbidity of occupational diseases in Guangzhou

To analyze the situation of occupational health surveillance and the characteristics of occupational diseases in Guangzhou. The situation of occupational health surveillance and the morbidity of occupational diseases were studied retrospectively by use of the physical examination data collected from the labour hygienic reports of the city from 1993 to 2002. The data were divided into two groups: the first group from 1993 to 1997, and the second from 1998 to 2002. Annual average of occupational health examination in the past 10 years was over 75%. The data in the second group (1998 - 2002) showed that the number of hearing loss observed subjects, noise surveilled personnels, dust and chemicals contraindicated personnels were significantly higher than those in the 1st group (P < 0.01). The morbidity of chronic occupational disease newly occurred was 91 cases in lst group, and 181 cases in 2nd group (P < 0.05), in which the incidence of chemical poisoning and noise induced hearing loss increased significantly but that of pneumoconiosis between two groups was not significantly different (P > 0.05). In the past 10 years, 581 cases of occupational diseases were diagnosed, of which, 309 cases (53.18%) were acute poisonings, while 272 cases (46.82%) were chronic occupational diseases. Pneumoconiosis, lead and benzene poisoning were common in chronic occupational diseases (16.70%, 16.87% respectively). With the passage of time, the incidence ages of pneumoconiosis, chemical poisoning and total occupational diseases tended towards younger. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01) A normal system for occupational health surveillance has been developed in Guangzhou. Detectable rates in focused surveillance and contraindication have been obviously increasing. The incidence of occupational disease (mainly including acute occupational poisoning, pneumoconiosis, lead and benzene poisonings) is also going up. The incidence age of chronic occupational diseases tends to be younger accompanied with a shorter work history.

The experiment for occupational tricholoroethylene(TCE) poisoning

目的 对本市一家通讯设备公司的作业现场、接触者班末尿及现场工人使用的洗板水进行检测分析,旨在为职业病诊断、治疗提供科学依据.方法气相色谱法(GC-FID法)测定车间空气中的三氯乙烯(TCE),顶空气相色谱法(GC-HS)测定尿样中的三氯乙酸(TCA)含量,气相色谱-质谱联用法(GC-MS法)对洗板水进行挥发组分分析.结果活性碳管采集的具有代表性的3个作业点共31份空气样本,浓度范围在31.2～120.1mg/m3,平均浓度为72.5mg/m3,超出我国工作场所空气中有害物质容许浓度2.4倍;在工人使用的溶剂洗板水中发现含有大量的三氯乙烯成分,含量为93.24%,接触工人班后尿样中TCA含量平均为51.86±24.09mg/L,显著高于对照组(P＜0.001).结论结合临床及流行病学资料,可确定此次职业性损害由三氯乙烯引起。

Analysis of 19 accidents of acute occupational poisoning

1999年5月至2004年5月,贵州省共发生19起急性职业中毒事故,造成230人中毒,其中15人死亡,对劳动者及其家庭、用人单位、社会造成重大损失.我们通过对这19起事故的分析,提出管理、监督和事故预防的对策和措施,以减少或杜绝事故的发生,保护劳动者的身体健康和生命安全。

Intoxicações provocadas por agrotóxicos de uso agrícola na microrregião de Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil, no período de 1992 a 2002

Reports of poisoning and suicide attempts involving pesticides in the micro region of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, from 1992 to 2002, were evaluated, using data from the Integrated Center for Toxicological Surveillance under the State Health Department. A total of 475 reports were made during the period, of which 261 were accidental or occupational poisonings, 203 suicide attempts, and 11 undetermined. Dourados county had the highest prevalence of pesticide poisoning and suicide attempts per 100,000 inhabitants, considering the rural population, and Fatima do Sul the second highest prevalence of suicides within the micro region. Significant correlations were found between poisoning and suicide (r = 0.60; p < 0.05) and between poisoning and temporary crop area as a percentage of the county's total area (r = 0.68; p < 0.05). Poisoning occurred predominantly in men (87.0%), but the percentage of suicide attempts by men and women were similar (53 and 47.0%, respectively). Poisonings occurred mostly from October to March and the organophosphate insecticides monocrotophos and methamidophos were the main pesticides involved.

Negative Ion Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of 3,5,6‐Trichloro‐2‐pyridinol in Saliva of Rats Exposed to Chlorpyrifos

Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides (e.g. chlorpyrifos) are widely used in a variety of applications, and the potential exists for significant occupational and environmental exposures. They have been associated with more occupational poisoning cases than any other class of insecticides. One of the best approaches for accurately assessing human dosimetry and determining risk from both occupational and environmental exposure is biomonitoring. Biological matrices such as blood and urine have been routinely used for biomonitoring; however, other matrices such as saliva represent a simple and readily obtainable fluid. As a result, saliva has been suggested as an alternative biological matrix for the evaluation of a broad range of biomarkers such as environmental contaminants, drugs of abuse, hormones, chemotherapeutics, heavy metals, and pesticides. Chlorpyrifos (CPF), and its major metabolite, 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol (TCP), have been quantified in urine and blood as a biomarker for exposure to OP insecticides. The purpose of this study was to develop an analytical approach for detecting and quantitating the levels of TCP in saliva obtained from rats exposed to CPF and to evaluate the potential of saliva as a noninvasive biomonitoring matrix for the determination of exposure to OP insecticides. Adult male rats were administered CPF, and blood and saliva were humanely collected for analysis of TCP and CPF. The TCP was detected and quantitated in saliva using negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. Initial results indicate that saliva potentially may be utilized as a noninvasive biomonitoring matrix to determine exposure to organophosphate insecticides. The authors would like to thank Ms. K. Brzak and Dr. M. Bartels of Dow Chemical Company for their helpful input. This work was partially supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STAR program through grant R828608. It has not been subject to any EPA review and, therefore, does not necessarily reflect the views of the agency, and no public endorsement should be inferred. This publication was also partially supported by grant 1 R01 OH03629‐01A2 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.