Determination of pyrethroids in house dust from Leipzig dwellings

As a part of a study with the aim to ascertain environmental influences on the development of allergies of newborns with an increased allergy risk (Le ipzig Allergy High-Risk Children Study: LARS) were house dust samples from 160 dwellings of three years old children collected in 1998. They are repre sentative spot checks of Leipzig house dust samples. In the dust samples we re analysed different pyrethroids (permethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin, bioallethrin) and compared with datas from former German environmental surv eys (old West German states 1990/91 and newly formed German states 1991/92) . In agreement with the results of surveys permethrin was the most common p yrethroid. It was contained in the highest concentrations also. In the most households the determined pyrethroid levels were below recommended precaut ionary values. In 39.8 % of the analysed samples were found concentrations over a level of 1 mg/kg. That means that the levels were over the precautio nary level of the former Federal Health Agency. 8.1 % of the samples had co ncentrations over 3 mg/kg. They were clear burdened after an assessment rec ommendation of the Bremer Environmental Institute. In 98.8 % of the samples was determined the permethrin concentration higher as the detection limit. Because of the ubiquitious occurrence of the pyrethroides and the insuffic ient knowledge about the burden of unexposed population and the possible he althy consequences it is necessary to carry out further epidemiological stu dies under this view.