SEDL / STP / STP1133-EB / STP19210S

Residue Removal of Granular Formulation Atrazine and its Dust from Workers' Protective Clothing by Laundering

Kim, CJ
Professor and graduate assistant, School of Human Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Wang, Q
Professor and graduate assistant, School of Human Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1992

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Abstract

During manufacturing and application, pesticide granules and dust can adhere to and be caught by portions of work clothing such as pockets, collars, cuffs, or other wrinkled areas. Laundering may remove some of the residues; however, when incompletely cleaned clothing comes in contact with the skin the pesticide residue can be absorbed into the body, causing potentially serious health hazards. Appropriate after-use care methods need to be identified to reduce the risk of pesticide exposure. Both warm and hot wash water with a commercial heavy-duty liquid detergent removed at least 99% of atrazine in granular or dust formulation from an initial 0.9 g contamination. The main mechanism of pesticide removal was by atrazine dissolution in water. Hot wash at 60°C was more effective than warm wash at 49°C. The amounts of atrazine residue did not differ significantly by agitation, drying method, or atrazine formulation. A considerable amount of residue transferred to swatches washed together with contaminated swatches.