Excretion study of endosulfan in urine of a pest control operator

A study of endosulfan excretion in human urine was carried out by using an agricultural worker involved with spraying, wearing protective overall, gloves and breathing mask. The urine samples were extracted with Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) cartridges and the compounds were separated and detected using Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) due to their high sensitivity and selectivity in preventing most matrix interferences. The alpha- and beta-isomers of endosulfan were detected (total concentrations ranged between 5368 and 2239 pg/ml) but endosulfan-ether, -lactone or -sulphate were not found above the detection limits. The results obtained were compared with the concentrations found for a non-occupational exposed man. Statistical interpretation of the excretion-rate of the insecticide was performed by assuming that it can be described as a first-order kinetic. The constant rate and the half-lives were determined. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.