Forestry workers involved in aerial application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D): Exposure and urinary excretion

Frank, R.; Campbell, R. A.; Sirons, George J.

doi:10.1007/bf01055528

Cited by 42 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The higher concentrations were 0.365 ppm for the mixer-loader and 0.052 ppm for the pilot the day after aerial spraying, but absorbed doses were well below the margin of safety at a level where no adverse effect is observed (Knopp and Glass 1991). Frank et al (1985) arrived at the same conclusion concerning 2,4-D toxicity for forestry workers (pilot and mixer-loader). Furthermore, in a review of epidemiological studies, Munro et al (1992) concluded that cohort studies of exposed workers do not generally support the specific hypothesis that 2,4-D causes any form of cancer.…”

Section: Social Aspectssupporting

confidence: 61%

Are chemical or mechanical treatments more sustainable for forest vegetation management in the context of the TRIAD?

Fortier¹,

Messier²

2006

The Forestry Chronicle

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Chemical and mechanical forest vegetation management (FVM) treatments are analyzed and compared to assess which is the most sustainable in intensively managed plantations in the context of the TRIAD. At the biological and ecological level, herbicides have been found to have more impacts on flora and fauna compared to mechanical treatments, but the differences are of short duration. The effects of noise generated by manual or mechanical brushing on wildlife have not been investigated, however. Local application of herbicide at the base of the tree should further lower these impacts. At the social level, the general public has a negative perception of chemical treatments, while mechanical treatments are wellperceived. However, in terms of worker safety, chemical treatments are less risky than manual brushing (brushsaw or chainsaw). At the economic level, herbicides globally cost less and are more effective at increasing fibre production than mechanical operations. We conclude that it is difficult to assess globally what is the most sustainable option to control competing vegetation. However, the careful use of herbicide may be the most sustainable option if the added productivity thus obtained is used to increase protected areas and ecosystem-based management, as is intended with the TRIAD concept.Key words: forest vegetation management, chemical release, mechanical release, functional zoning, plantations, ecological impacts, social impacts, economical impacts, intensive management, sustainable forestry RÉSUMÉ Les traitements chimiques et mécaniques de gestion de la végétation compétitrice sont comparés afin d'évaluer quel traitement est le plus durable pour réaliser le dégagement des plantations à haut rendement dans le contexte de la TRIADE. Au niveau écologique et biologique, les traitements chimiques ont plus d'impacts négatifs sur la faune et la flore que les traitements mécaniques, mais cet impact est de courte durée. Les effets du bruit sur la faune généré par l'utilisation de la débrousailleuse ou de la machinerie lourde ne sont pas documentés. Un dégagement chimique local, à la base de chacun des semis, réduit considérablement les impacts écologiques associés aux phytocides. Au niveau social, la perception à l'égard du dégagement chimique est fort négative, ce qui n'est pas le cas pour les opérations mécaniques. En matière de santé sécurité des travailleurs, l'usage de phytocide est moins risqué que le dégagement mécanique manuel. Pour ce qui est des bénéfices économiques, comparativement au de dégagement mécanique, l'utilisation de phytocides chimiques est moins coûteuse en plus d'augmenter de manière plus importante le capital ligneux. Nous concluons qu'il est difficile de discriminer quel traitement est le plus durable. Néanmoins, l'usage rationnel de phytocide apparaît comme l'option la plus durable dans la mesure où l'augmentation de la production ligneuse pourrait ensuite servir à l'implantation d'un aménagement écosystémique et à la création d'aires protégées, comme le concept de TRIADE le ...

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Section: Social Aspectssupporting

confidence: 61%

Are chemical or mechanical treatments more sustainable for forest vegetation management in the context of the TRIAD?

Fortier¹,

Messier²

2006

The Forestry Chronicle

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“…By contrast, earlier reports dealing with forest pesticide applications suggest that urinary concentrations of 2,4-D arising from exposure occur within a range of 45-326 ppb (21). In the present work we examined firstvoided urine specimens from workers at the time of maximum use of 2,4-D (22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Biomarker correlations of urinary 2,4-D levels in foresters: genomic instability and endocrine disruption.

Garry

Tarone

Kirsch

et al. 2001

Environ Health Perspect

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Forest pesticide applicators constitute a unique pesticide use group. Aerial, mechanical-ground, and focal weed control by application of herbicides, in particular chlorophenoxy herbicides, yield diverse exposure scenarios. In the present work, we analyzed aberrations in G-banded chromosomes, reproductive hormone levels, and polymerase chain reaction-based V(D)J rearrangement frequencies in applicators whose exposures were mostly limited to chlorophenoxy herbicides. Data from appliers where chlorophenoxy use was less frequent were also examined. The biomarker outcome data were compared to urinary levels of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) obtained at the time of maximum 2,4-D use. Further comparisons of outcome data were made to the total volume of herbicides applied during the entire pesticide-use season.Twenty-four applicators and 15 minimally exposed foresters (control) subjects were studied. Categorized by applicator method, men who used a hand-held, backpack sprayer in their applications showed the highest average level (453.6 ppb) of 2,4-D in urine. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) values were correlated with urinary 2,4-D levels, but follicle-stimulating hormone and free and total testosterone were not. At the height of the application season; 6/7 backpack sprayers, 3/4 applicators who used multinozzle mechanical (boom) sprayers, 4/8 aerial applicators, and 2/5 skidder-radiarc (closed cab) appliers had two or more V(D)J region rearrangements per microgram of DNA. Only 5 of 15 minimally exposed (control) foresters had two or more rearrangements, and 3 of these 5 subjects demonstrated detectable levels of 2,4-D in the urine. Only 8/24 DNA samples obtained from the exposed group 10 months or more after their last chlorophenoxy use had two rearrangements per microgram of DNA, suggesting that the exposure-related effects observed were reversible and temporary. Although urinary 2,4-D levels were not correlated with chromosome aberration frequency, chromosome aberration frequencies were correlated with the total volume of herbicides applied, including products other than 2,4-D. In summary, herbicide applicators with high urinary levels of 2,4-D (backpack and boom spray applications) exhibited elevated LH levels. They also exhibited altered genomic stability as measured by V(D)J rearrangement frequency, which appears reversible months after peak exposure. Though highly detailed, the limited sample size warrants cautious interpretation of the data.

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“…Urine samples were kept cool in a soft-sided cooler bag with ice packs until picked up by the field team and transported to the laboratory for pesticide analysis. A multi-residue screening laboratory methodology (refinement of that used in previous human exposure studies (Frank et al 1985;Harris and Solomon 1992;Harris et al 1992;Libich et al 1984) was used to analyse the urine samples using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) ion trap detector. Samples below the detection limit of 1 lg/l were assigned a value of one-half the limit of detection.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of herbicide exposure in farm applicators

Arbuckle

Burnett

Cole

et al. 2002

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

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Forestry workers involved in aerial application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D): Exposure and urinary excretion

Cited by 42 publications

References 8 publications

Are chemical or mechanical treatments more sustainable for forest vegetation management in the context of the TRIAD?

Are chemical or mechanical treatments more sustainable for forest vegetation management in the context of the TRIAD?

Biomarker correlations of urinary 2,4-D levels in foresters: genomic instability and endocrine disruption.

Predictors of herbicide exposure in farm applicators

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