Braun, HE; Frank, R; Ritcey, GM
The removal efficiencies of various insecticide and fungicide compounds from clothing by washing procedures were determined. The insecticide and fungicide compounds considered included captan (133062), cypermethrin (52315078), endosulfan (115297), malathion (121755), diazinon (333415), dicloran (99309), dicofol (115322), and permethrin (52645531). One hundred percent cotton fabric strips were used with captan, cypermethrin, endosulfan, and malathion, while fabric strips of 50 percent cotton/50 percent polyester were exposed to diazinon, dicloran, dicofol, and permethrin. In both instances, the exposed fabrics were air dried and placed in plastic bags for periods of 5 to 52 hours prior to washing. Following the washing procedures, the fabric strips were extracted in methylene-chloride for residual analyses. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography with either flame photometric or electron capture detection. Analysis results indicated that, in general, organochlorine fungicide compounds and organophosphorus insecticide compounds were easier to remove by washing than organochlorine insecticide compounds or synthetic pyrethroid insecticide compounds. The average overall removal efficiencies (as percentages) were: captan, 100; dicloran, 96.6; malathion, 99.8; diazinon, 97.7; dicofol, 79.3; endosulfan, 73.9; cypermethrin, 76.6; and permethrin, 66.7. When noncontaminated clothing was washed with contaminated clothing, significant amounts of organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides were transferred. The authors suggest that pesticide contaminated clothing should be washed alone.