2006 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 31-41
We carried out an investigation to clarify the real state of indoor air pollution by permethrin (a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide) and exposure to permethrin of residents by measuring its urinary metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) as an exposure index for biological monitoring. The investigation was conducted in 43 individual houses in Kagawa, Japan. Urine samples were collected from 43 healthy adult residents of these houses. Permethrin in indoor air in 16 of 43 houses showed 4-73 ng/m3. Urinary metabolite 3-PBA concentrations of 1-11ng/mg ? creatinine were detected in 12 residents from the 16 houses where permethrin had been detected. The permethrin concentration in indoor and urinary 3-PBA level in resident demonstrated a positive correlation (r=0.6024, p < 0.01, n=43). The findings suggest that it is necessary to monitor chemicals such as permethrin contaminating indoor air; in other word, measuring the urinary metabolite 3-PBA of permethrin via biological monitoring would be useful. Accordingly it will be indispensable to assess farther adequately the risk of environment toxicity to permethrin, as well as prolonged exposure or causing delayed neurotoxicity to these chemicals.
