Abstract
Daily intakes of organophosphorus pesticides (malathion and fenitrothion) by 6 housewives living in Osaka metropolitan district were determined. Their diets were collected for 7 consecutive days using the duplicate portion method. Malathion and fenitrothion were detected in 11 and 9 samples out of 42, respectively. The mean values of daily intake of malathion and fenitrothion were 0.88μg and 0.47μg, respectively. The maximum intakes of malathion and fenitrothion were 7.72μg and 3.89μg, respectively. We also determined the intakes of malathion and fenitrothion from lunches provided on 23 consecutive days at an elementary school in D city in Osaka Prefecture. The detection frequencies of malathion and fenitrothion were 73.9% and 47.8%, respectively. The average and maximum intakes of malathion were 1.11μg and 3.58μg, respectively, while those of fenitrothion were 0.51μg and 2.92 μg, respectively. As wheat seemed to be the major source of malathion and fenitrothion in the diets, the levels of the two pesticides in wheat grain, flour and wheat products were analyzed. Of 60 samples tested, malathion (maximum value; 0.347μg/g wheat grain) and/or fenitrothion (maximum value; 0.320μg/g flour) were found in 39.
