Reduction in Human Exposure to Pesticide Using Traditional Work Clothing Fabrics with Chemical Finishing: Carboxymethylation and Starch

Franz diffusion experiments with human skin combined with work-clothing fabric have shown that skin exposure to pesticides is reduced by the presence of traditional nonbarrier textiles. This study was undertaken to obtain further information about the reduction in exposure using traditional work-clothing fabrics that had chemical finishing to increase the sorption properties. The effects of a renewable starch finish and chemical modification by carboxymethylation on cotton fabrics on the pesticide (methyl parathion) retention, transfer, and decontamination by laundering were investigated. Two weights of work clothing fabrics made of 100% cotton were used, one appropriate for shirts and the other for pants. The amount of pesticide observed on human skin was reduced by the presence of clothing fabric. Carboxymethylation of the shirt fabric reduced the amount of pesticide observed on the human skin. This treatment also resulted in less pesticide being transferred to a second fabric layer within a clothing system. No pesticide penetrated to the second fabric layer when the heavier pant fabric was used as the outer layer. The lighter weight shirt fabric did not retain as much pesticide as the pant fabric. The pesticide retained on the shirt fabric was increased by the application of a renewable starch finish and by carboxymethylation; both of these finishes were found to be effective in enhancing the decontamination of cotton fabrics by laundering. Received: 15 May 1997/Accepted: 29 November 1997