ESTIMATING PESTICIDE EXPOSURE IN MAN AS RELATED TO MEASURABLE INTAKE; ENVIRONMENTAL VERSUS CHEMICAL INDEX1

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Abstract
A method, the Pesticide Exposure Index (PEX), was developed to estimate individual pesticide intake from data related to known measurable exposure. These data were obtained by questionnaire and used to calculate PEX values. The PEX values were then compared with an acceptable method for measuring pesticide intake (residual pesticide levels in body tissues). The tissues (adipose or placental and blood) collected were from elective surgery cases or pregnant women who delivered spontaneously. A total of 62 paired, adipose and blood specimens were obtained from elective surgical cases; 53 paired, placenta and maternal blood specimens were obtained from women after delivery. In addition, twin placentas were obtained from a woman who gave birth to twins. Analysis of the data included the geometric means and range of the pesticides detected in the paired adipose-blood specimens. A rank correlation analysis between the tissue-blood pesticide residual levels, and between PEX and tissue-blood values for Total Equivalent DDT, Total Equivalent BHC, Total Equivalent heptachlor, dieldrin and aldrin was also included. There was no association (α = .05) between an individual's PEX and tissue-blood values while there was a relationship observed between the tissue-blood values for each individual. Inadequacies of the data collected and the results of the rank correlation analysis suggested that the environmental index (PEX) was ineffectual. Thus, the toxic potential of pesticides upon persons in a general population cannot be examined by correlation of which pesticide the individual states he has a known exposure.

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