Inferring past pesticide exposures: A matrix of individual active ingredients in home and garden pesticides used in past decades

Abstract

Background: In retrospective studies of the health effects of home and garden pesticides, self-reported information typically forms the basis for exposure assessment. Study participants generally find it easier to remember the types of pests treated than the specific pesticides used. However, if the goal of the study is to assess disease risk from specific chemicals, the investigator must be able to link the pest type treated with specific chemicals or products. Objectives: Our goal was to develop a "pesticide-exposure matrix" that would list active ingredients on the market for treating different types of pests in past years, and provide an estimate of the probability that each active ingredient was used. Methods: We used several different methods for deriving the active ingredient lists and estimating the probabilities. These methods are described in this article, along with a sample calculation and data sources for each. Results: The pesticide-exposure matrix lists active ingredients and their probabilities of use for 96 distinct scenarios defined by year (1976, 1980, 1990, 2000), applicator type (consumer, professional), and pest type (12 categories). Calculations and data sources for all 96 scenarios are provided online. Conclusions: Although we are confident that the active ingredient lists are reasonably accurate for most scenarios, we acknowledge possible sources of error in the probability estimates. Despite these limitations, the pesticide-exposure matrix should provide valuable information to researchers interested in the chronic health effects of residential pesticide exposure.