Testing detects fungicide at Missouri school

In mid-September, a grandfather contacted the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) to report an issue associated with an aerial application of a pesticide over a K-12 rural public school as children were outside on the playground. The grandfather was concerned that his grandchildren and other children might have been exposed to the pesticide as the plane flew over the school during an application to a nearby soybean field.

The MDA investigator arrived at the school to review the incident within three hours of the call and collected statements from school officials, including the school nurse and principal. The principal reported that no one, including himself, physically felt any spray or mist caused by the application.

The Missouri Pesticide Use Act stipulates that “pesticide complaints may be fielded by an individual regarding the possible misuse of a pesticide and a Pesticide Use Investigator with MDA would be assigned to investigate the reported incident.” According to Darryl Slade, with the MDA Bureau of Pesticide Control, residue swab samples were gathered from an exterior school window, volleyball pole and swing set on the school grounds to determine if any pesticide had drifted from the target area and onto school property.

The investigator shipped the samples to the State Hygienic Lab and requested a five-day rush analysis due to the potential human exposure at the school.

Analysis of all submitted samples showed detectable levels of propiconazole and azoxystrobin, the active ingredients in the fungicide used by the crop duster.

“The EPA does not have regulations about how much of a given pesticide is permissible in non-target areas,” said David Larabee-Zierath, environmental lab scientist.

Exposure to fungicides can be irritating to the skin and eyes, and inhalation may cause throat irritation, sneezing and coughing.

Currently, the case remains open with Missouri agencies.