Abstract
To estimate the amount of particles which enter into the body by inhalation and rest on the wall of the respiratory tract when farmers are dusting crops with pesticides, I took the size of dust particles and plotted the measurements on distribution charts.
Results are as follows:
1. The particle distribution of dust type pesticides (original) showed that particles of 2 μ or smaller top all the rest. A steady downward curve was observed from 2 μ to 10 μ, but from 10 μ on, slight increases were noted. As a whole, particles of less than 10 μ accounted for 87%.
2. The particle distribution of pesticides inhaled by farmers during spraying work showed a significantly high ratio of particles of 2 μ or smaller when compared with that of the original. As for particles of 2 μ or larger, the distribution tendency was similar to that of the original.
3. In view of the fact that a relatively large quantity of particles of less than 2 μ was inhaled and that labor intensity of farmers dusting over paddy rice fields by use of powered sprayers is high, it is presumed that the amount of pesticide dusts entering deep into the respiratory tract and alveoli of the lung is large. Hence, it would be necessary to provide proper guidance to farmers for the prevention of pesticide-induced maladies.
