Pesticides high risk groups

Considering the widespread concern about possible cancer risks from pesticides, there have been few studies of professional pesticide applicators, the most highly exposed group. The most consistent findings from the studies which have been published concern increased lung cancer risks (Table II). However, the relative risk estimates were not sufficiently high to totally discount smoking differences as an explanation. 

Children under 5 years are highly affected, possibly due to the lack of adequate storage facilities for pesticides on the farmers property (Fig. 7). The major risk group is men between 15 and 44, who represent the largest part of the agricultural working force. 

From the selection of specific population groups as identified above, it was clear that the risks from being exposed to OCPs can vary for different groups of individuals in the community. In 1996 a variation of a HI of 3.3 for dieldrin for a hypothetical group of high intake seafood consumers to a small fraction for the other pesticides was estimated. Many persons... 

For example, the pesticide fosetyl al (Aliette) is a fungicide proposed for use on hops. Many fungicides have been shown to induce tumors in animals and are considered to present oncogenic risks to humans. Aliette caused an increase in bladder tumors in rats, but only at very high dose levels (40,000 ppm). Aliette was classified as a group C carcinogen, and a quantitative risk estimate demonstrated upper-bound worst-case risks were less than one in one hundred million. 

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