Dietary Pyrethroid Exposures and Intake Doses for 188 Duplicate-Single Solid Food Items Consumed by North Carolina Adults

Few studies have measured pyrethroid residue concentrations in food items consumed by adults in their daily environments. In a further analysis of study data, the objectives were to determine pyrethroid residue levels in single, solid food items consumed by adults and to estimate dietary pyrethroid exposures and intake doses per food item. A total of 50 adults collected 782 duplicate-diet solid food samples over a six-week monitoring period in North Carolina between 2009 and 2011. Of these samples, 188 contained a single, solid food item (i.e., lasagna). Levels of eight pyrethroids were quantified in the 188 food items using LC–MS/MS. At least one pyrethroid was detected in 39% of these food items. Cis-permethrin (17%), bifenthrin (15%), trans-permethrin (14%), and deltamethrin (14%) were detected the most often. Cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, and esfenvalerate were all detected in LOQ) were significantly higher (p = 0.001) in foods that contained a fruit/vegetable compared to foods that did not. For individual pyrethroids, the participants’ maximum dietary intake doses in the single food items ranged from 38.1 (deltamethrin) to 939 ng/kg/day (cis/trans-permethrin).

Impact/Purpose

The Ex-R adults were dietarily exposed to single and multiple pyrethroid insecticides in a variety of solid food items they consumed in their everyday environments. An advantage of this type of study design is that it accounts for possible increases or decreases in pyrethroid residue levels in food items that are prepared and/or eaten at home or other settings (i.e., restaurants or work). This research has provided exposure models and risk assessors with real-world data, that were lacking in the literature, on the specific solid food items that may be substantially contributing to the aggregate and cumulative dietary exposures of US adults to pyrethroid insecticides.

Citation

Morgan, M. Dietary Pyrethroid Exposures and Intake Doses for 188 Duplicate-Single Solid Food Items Consumed by North Carolina Adults. MDPI, Basel, SWITZERLAND, 8(1):6, (2020). [DOI: 10.3390/toxics801000]

DOI: Dietary Pyrethroid Exposures and Intake Doses for 188 Duplicate-Single Solid Food Items Consumed by North Carolina Adults