Indoor persistent organic pollutants in agricultural areas from Argentina

TAMES, FLORENCIA; MIGLIORANZA, KARINA S. B.; RODRIGUEZ NUÑEZ, MARTÍN; CARRERAS, HEBE

INDOOR AIR

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2020

0905-6947

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are anthropogenic chemicals extensively usedin the past for industrial and agricultural purposes, characterized by their lipophilicity,ubiquity, volatility and environmental persistence. By other hand, chlorpyrifos isthe most widely used current pesticide (CUPs) being the main insecticide used forcrops in Argentina. The aim of this work was to assess levels of POPs and CUPs indifferent fractions of airborne particles collected indoor in agricultural areas fromArgentina. Particles higher than 2.5 μm were trapped in polyurethane foams (PUF)while particles smaller than 1 μm and volatile compounds were adsorbed on activatedcharcoal. Compounds were analyzed by gas chromatograph with electron capturedetector (GC-ECD). Endosulfans, chlordanes, PCBs, and HCHs were detectedin all PUF samples, while endosulfans, chlorpyrifos, PCBs, and HCHs were the mostabundant in smaller particles. Majority of pesticides showed higher concentrationsduring the summer season (1397.7 vs 832.5 pg/m3). Even adding up all measured organiccompounds, no sample reaches the threshold limit value for indoor pesticideslevels (0.1 pg/m3), neither in the large or small particle fraction. However, the factthat chronic exposure to POPs has been linked to several diseases raises concern forhuman health.