BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF THE FUNGICIDE EPOXICONAZOL DURING APPLICATION

A method was developed for the biological monitoring of the fungicide epoxiconazol (Opus(R); BASF). Comparison of the urine levels of a hydr oxylated metabolite after dermal application to the levels after oral intake revealed a dermal absorption of 1-2.5% of the dose. In a field study with 10 applicators a dermal exposure ranging between 60 and 10, 000 mu g/person/day was determined from the urine levels of a hydroxyl ated metabolite; the contribution of the inhalation exposure was found to be negligible. From these data an incorporation of 1 to 100 mu g e poxiconazol/person/day could be derived. The measured exposure was com pared to two commonly used exposure models. The model calculation resu lted in a dermal exposure of 555 mu g/person/day (German BBA model) an d 2115 mu g/person/day (British POEM), respectively, which is in accor dance with the actually measured exposure.