Development and Evaluation of a Quantitative Video-fluorescence Imaging System and Fluorescent Tracer for Measuring Transfer of Pesticide Residues from Surfaces to Hands with Repeated Contacts

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Abstract
A video imaging system and the associated quantification methods have been developed for measurement of the transfer of a fluorescent tracer from surfaces to hands. The highly fluorescent compound riboflavin (vitamin B2), which is also water soluble and non-toxic, was chosen as the tracer compound to simulate the transfer from surfaces to hands of pesticide residues deposited on carpeted and laminate surfaces of a residence. The system was designed around the unique properties of riboflavin. Excitation energy was centered near 440 nm (in the blue region of the visible spectrum); emitted energy was measured at 600 nm (in the red/orange region), well beyond the significant fluorescence peak maximum of natural skin. A video camera system with an image intensifier was interfaced to an image processing analysis software system. Quantification utilized chemometric techniques to account for the non-linearity of pixel detectivity and non-linear excitation strength. Method quantification and detection limits were approximately 0.1 and 0.02 µg/cm2, respectively. The relative error was ∼100% at the quantification limit, but 2, were measured with this system from surfaces whose loadings approximated the pesticide levels that occur in homes after broadcast application.

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