Determination of airborne residues in greenhouses after application of pesticides

Five insecticides and two fungicides were analysed in the air of greenhouses for three or four days after application of plant protection products in ornamentals and vegetables by manual sprayers. The maximum concentrations were 28 μg/m3 for parathion, 25 μg/m3 for dichlofluanid and 9.9 μg/m3 for pirimicarb and the mean values on the day following the application were 2.0 to 5.0 μg/m3 After a dissipation period of several hours the concentration was found to be greatly influenced on ventilation and temperature. The air concentrations of the pyrethroids fenpropathrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin ranged from < 0.1 μg/m3 to 0.41 μg/m3. Dinocap was found from < 0.2 to 2.3 μg/m3. The pyrethroids and dinocap were detected only occasionally.