Grantee Research Project Results

Pesticide Exposure Pathways

EPA Grant Number: R834514C002
Subproject: this is subproject number 002 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R834514
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions
Center Director: Robinson, Allen
Title: Pesticide Exposure Pathways
Investigators: Faustman, Elaine
Institution: University of Washington
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: October 1, 2010 through September 24, 2016
RFA: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (with NIEHS) (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health

Objective:

This study is designed to integrate our pesticide exposure research across the Center cohort community within the Yakima Valley region of Washington. This will link our previous research on exposure pathways which has been conducted on a smaller scale with single spray events: pesticide spray drift studies describing chemical fate and transport, and exposure assessment studies, with emphasis on residential exposure factors, para-occupational exposures, human activity patterns, personal exposure and dose estimation. Children who live in agricultural communities are a vulnerable community having many potential yet not fully characterized exposures pathways related to their proximity to pesticide spraying in addition to the traditional pathways of take-home exposure, diet, drinking water, and residential pesticide use. The overall objective of our research is to understand how exposures at a community scale, involving multiple applications, crops, weather patterns, and human activities may contribute to non-occupational exposures of children following pesticide applications. Pesticide drift and dispersion will be evaluated using measurements and physical transport models we have benchmarked in our previous studies to field samples from actual spray events. Residential characteristics and land use will be assessed with crop data and pesticide application information from the current decision tools used for selecting chemical treatments. Participant's activity patterns will be assessed using a GPS tracking device that can be integrated into a spatial-temporal data set describing personal activity during spray episodes.

Expected Results:

Using these physical and behavioral exposure factors, this study seeks to identify the determinants of children's exposure to pesticides from the proximity pathway as estimated through urinary metabolites or other biomarkers. This study will bring innovative methods of exposure assessment to bear on the problem of pesticide spray drift, and in doing so will identify the best opportunities for apphcator, community, or parental interventions.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 33 publications for this subproject | View all 510 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 11 journal articles for this subproject | View all 178 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

RFA, Scientific Discipline, Health, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Biochemistry, Children's Health, Environmental Policy, Biology, Risk Assessment, pesticide exposure, age-related differences, pesticides, children's vulnerablity, biological markers, agricultural community

Progress and Final Reports:

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R834514 Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R834514C001 Community-Based Participatory Research
R834514C002 Pesticide Exposure Pathways
R834514C003 Molecular Mechanisms
R834514C004 Genetic Susceptibility

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.