How are children different from adults?

Bearer, Cynthia F.

doi:10.1289/ehp.95103s67

Cited by 238 publications

(106 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…Exposure of children to environmental contaminants is expected to vary from adults and in many cases can be higher (NRC, 1993;Bearer, 1995). Increased dietary exposures occur because children eat foods that have come into contact with the floor and other contaminated residential surfaces (Akland et al, 2000;Melnyk et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer efficiencies of pesticides from household flooring surfaces to foods

Rohrer

Hieber

Melnyk

et al. 2003

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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The transfer of pesticides from household surfaces to foods was measured to determine the degree of excess dietary exposure that occurs when children's foods contact contaminated surfaces prior to being eaten. Three household flooring surfaces (ceramic tile, hardwood, and carpet) were contaminated with an aqueous emulsion of commercially available pesticides (diazinon, heptachlor, malathion, chlorpyrifos, isofenphos, and cis-and trans-permethrin) frequently found in residential environments. A surface wipe method, as typically used in residential exposure studies, was used to measure the pesticides available on the surfaces as a basis for calculating transfer efficiency to the foods. Three foods (apple, bologna, and cheese) routinely handled by children before eating were placed on the contaminated surfaces and transfers of pesticides were measured after 10 min contact. Other contact durations (1 and 60 min) and applying additional contact force (1500 g) to the foods were evaluated for their impact on transferred pesticides. More pesticides transferred to the foods from the hard surfaces, that is, ceramic tile and hardwood flooring, than from carpet. Mean transfer efficiencies for all pesticides to the three foods ranged from 24% to 40% from ceramic tile and 15% to 29% from hardwood, as compared to mostly non-detectable transfers from carpet. Contact duration and applied force notably increased pesticide transfer. The mean transfer efficiency for the seven pesticides increased from around 1% at 1 min to 55-83% when contact duration was increased to 60 min for the three foods contacting hardwood flooring. Mean transfer efficiency for 10-min contact increased from 15% to 70% when a 1500 g force was applied to bologna placed on hardwood flooring. Contamination of food occurs from contact with pesticide-laden surfaces, thus increasing the potential for excess dietary exposure of children.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfer efficiencies of pesticides from household flooring surfaces to foods

Rohrer

Hieber

Melnyk

et al. 2003

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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“…In children, the surface to volume ratio is higher than in adults, which results in a larger proportion of skin surface across which absorption can occur [1]. Breastfed infants may also ingest pesticides or pesticide metabolites present in the breast milk [2].…”

Section: Exposure To Pesticides and Childhood Cancer Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to Pesticides and Childhood Cancer Risk: Has there been any Progress in Epidemiological Studies?

Jurewicz

Hanke²

2006

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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Objectives: In Europe and the United States, cancer is a major cause of death among children aged 5-14 years. The role of environmental exposure to pesticides in carcinogenesis, although strongly postulated, is still unknown. Pesticides have been used since the early days of modern agriculture. They are biologically active compounds, which may pose health risk during or after their use. Materials and Methods: Epidemiological studies focused on childhood cancer and exposure to pesticides, conducted over the last seven years, were identified through searching PUBMED, MEDLINE and EBSCO literature bases. From each study, the following information was abstracted: type of cancer, type of exposure, study design, risk estimate, and study population. This review will try to answer the question on whether any further progress in epidemiology of childhood cancer due to pesticide exposure has been made. Results: Leukemia, brain cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and neuroblastoma are mentioned as potentially associated with pesticide exposure among children. Despite an increasing evidence in support of this finding, it is still limited because of the weakness of research methodology. The substantial weak points of numerous epidemiological studies of pesticide-related health effects are problems faced in exposure assessment, small numbers of exposed subjects, a limited number of studies focused on the majority of cancers, and difficulties in estimating critical windows of exposure. Conclusion: In the light of existing, although still limited evidence of adverse effects of pesticide exposure, it is necessary to reduce exposure to pesticides. The literature review suggests a great need to increase awareness among people occupationally or environmentally exposed to pesticides about their potential negative influence on health of their children.

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“…Children may also be at particular risk due to their immature metabolisms, their expected life spans, their short stature where concentrations of air-borne pollutants may be higher than those at adult heights, their higher consumption of food and water relative to body size, due to their playing on carpets and lawns where residues may accumulate (this may be exacerbated by the slower degradation of pesticides within the home environment) and through unique behaviour such as pica and hand-to-mouth actions (Fenske et al, 1990;Plunkett et al, 1992;Bearer, 1995;Chance and Harmsen, 1998;Faustman et al, 2000). Pesticides have been implicated in birth defects (Weidner et al, 1998;Heeren et al, 2003), cancers (Cordier et al, 1994;Leiss and Savitz, 1995;Pogoda and Preston-Martin, 1997; Infante-Rivard et al, 1999; Buckley et al, 2000;Meinert et al, 2000;Daniels et al, 2001;Ma et al, 2002) and neuro-developmental problems (Guillette et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%