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Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides

Date:
June 23, 2009
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Insecticides used in and around homes -- including products voluntarily removed from the market years ago -- were measured on the floors of U.S. residences, according to the first study large enough to generate national data on pesticide residues in homes. 
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Insecticides used in and around homes — including products voluntarily removed from the market years ago — were measured on the floors of U.S. residences, according to the first study large enough to generate national data on pesticide residues in homes. 

Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) collected samples with surface wipes from U.S. kitchen floors. Additionally, occupants were surveyed regarding pesticide use and housing factors.

The most frequently detected pesticides, after permethrin (89 percent), were chlorpyrifos (78 percent); chlordane (74 percent); piperonyl butoxide (52 percent); cypermethrin (46 percent); and fipronil (40 percent). While in most cases, the pesticide concentrations measured were low, the insecticides may serve as a potential source of exposure to occupants.

Scientists launched the study to understand the frequency and concentration of pesticide residues that might be found in U.S. homes. EPA and HUD scientists plan to further investigate these findings and the study's questionnaire results to explore the relationships between pesticide concentrations found in homes and housing factors (age of home, housing type, occupancy, etc.), geographical location, pet treatments, and recent home pesticide applications.


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Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Stout II et al. American Healthy Homes Survey: A National Study of Residential Pesticides Measured from Floor Wipes. Environmental Science & Technology, 2009; 43 (12): 4294 DOI: 10.1021/es8030243

Cite This Page:

American Chemical Society. "Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 June 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090622165737.htm>.
American Chemical Society. (2009, June 23). Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090622165737.htm
American Chemical Society. "Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090622165737.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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