REDUCTION IN HUMAN EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDE USING TRADITIONAL WORK CLOTHING FABRICS WITH CHEMICAL FINISHING - CARBOXYMETHYLATION AND STARCH

Franz diffusion experiments with human skin combined with work-clothin g fabric have shown that skin exposure to pesticides is reduced by the presence of traditional nonbarrier textiles. This study was undertake n to obtain further information about the reduction in exposure using traditional work-clothing fabrics that had chemical finishing to incre ase the sorption properties. The effects of a renewable starch finish and chemical modification by carboxymethylation on cotton fabrics on t he pesticide (methyl parathion) retention, transfer, and decontaminati on by laundering were investigated. Two weights of work clothing fabri cs made of 100% cotton were used, one appropriate for shirts and the o ther for pants. The amount of pesticide observed on human skin was red uced by the presence of clothing fabric. Carboxymethylation of the shi rt fabric reduced the amount of pesticide observed on the human skin. This treatment also resulted in less pesticide being transferred to a second fabric layer within a clothing system. No pesticide penetrated to the second fabric layer when the heavier pant fabric was used as th e outer layer, The lighter weight shirt fabric did not retain as much pesticide as the pant fabric. The pesticide retained on the shirt fabr ic was increased by the application of a renewable starch finish and b y carboxymethylation; both of these finishes were found to be effectiv e in enhancing the decontamination of cotton fabrics by laundering.