Assessment of field re-entry exposure to pesticides: A dislodgeable foliar residue study

•Spray applications were conducted in pepper and tomato greenhouses.•An SC insecticide and an EC fungicide were applied.•Dislodgeable foliar residue and worker dermal exposure studies were carried out.•Transfer coefficient (TC) values were determined.•TC values were in agreement with current EFSA guideline values in most of the cases.

A dislodgeable foliar residue study was conducted in greenhouse pepper and tomato on the island of Crete, Greece, following the spray application of an SC insecticide (with active substance (a.s.) tebufenozide) and an EC fungicide (a.s. bupirimate). Furthermore, for the assessment of worker exposure to pesticides - as a result of re-entering the treated crops - a worker dermal exposure study was carried out during the tasks of tying or pruning, which allowed the transfer coefficient values for the specific tasks to be determined. Pesticide residues were analysed with an in house developed and fully validated HPLC-ESI/MS analytical method. The results from the study resulted in transfer coefficient values which were in agreement with current EFSA guideline values in most of the cases with the exception of bupirimate in a tomato greenhouse. In that case, high potential dermal exposure and low dislodgeable foliar residue values were observed, which is thought to be due to the moist leaves collected during sampling and monitoring, which led to greater than expected transfer coefficient values.

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