PESTICIDE INHALATION EXPOSURE, AIR CONCENTRATION, AND DROPLET SIZE SPECTRA FROM GREENHOUSE FOGGING

Fogger application of pesticide in greenhouses can reduce application time and applicator contact with equipment. Since fog applications use smaller and more concentrated droplets than typical wet spray applica tions, potential for inhalation and off-target transport hazards may b e increased. This study investigated temporal characteristics of airbo rne pesticide after thermal fogging of a greenhouse. Droplet size spec tra and concentration of airborne pesticide were measured. Volume medi an diameter of the suspended aerosol decreased from 14 to 2.3 mu m dur ing 1.5 h after application. Concentration of airborne pesticide decre ased by 60% in the first hour after application and by 95% during 12 h after application. Implications for respiratory exposure were analyti cally developed from observed data.