We have successfully
recruited a number
of residents in
the East Lothian,
Kent and Norfolk
areas who live within
100 metres of the
edge of agricultural
(arable and orchard)
fields that may
be sprayed with
pesticides and recruitment
has now stopped.
Further information
on what participation
in the study involves
and how the information
collected will be
used is provided
in the participant
information leaflet
below.
Background -
who is organising
and funding the
research
In Great Britain
the use of pesticides
in agriculture,
horticulture, forestry,
food storage and
the home or garden
is regulated to
protect human health
and the environment. The
regulatory system
is administered
by the Department
for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA).
DEFRA have asked
the Institute of
Occupational Medicine
(IOM)
to investigate pesticide
exposure during
the spraying season
amongst residents
(adults and children)
living next to agricultural
fields and to assess
if the current pesticide
regulatory system
provides suitable
protection for those
people exposed.
What is the
purpose of the study?
This study will
investigate pesticide
exposure during
the spraying season
amongst residents
(adults, aged 18
years and over,
and children, aged
4-12 years) living
next to agricultural
fields and will
assess whether the
current system used
to regulate pesticide
exposure provides
suitable protection
for those people
exposed. We will
do this by collecting
urine samples from
residents and will
compare the levels
of pesticide metabolites
in the urine of
people that have
been exposed to
pesticides due to
spraying with the
level of residue
predicted from data
obtained from a
variety of sources,
including mathematical
models. The end
result will determine
if the current system
used to regulate
pesticide exposure
provides suitable
protection for those
people exposed
Who would we
like to participate
in the study?
We would like
to recruit people
who live within
100 m from the edge
of fields or orchards
that may be sprayed
with pesticides.
We are particularly
keen to recruit
people who are usually
in or around the
home during significant
parts of the day,
although adults
who are away from
the home for large
parts of the day
will also be eligible
for inclusion in
the study.
Do I have to
take part?
It is up to you
to decide. If you
do decide to help
we will ask you
to sign a consent
form that confirms
you are happy to
participate and
for the information
you provide to be
used in the study.
If you have children
aged 4 - 12 years
and you are happy
for them to participate
in the study we
will also ask you
to complete a consent
form on their behalf.
You, and your children,
are also free to
withdraw from the
study at any time
and without giving
reason.
What will happen
if I take part?
First, we would
like to obtain some
background information
on you and we will
ask you to complete
a general lifestyle
questionnaire. Once
a week we will ask
you to provide a
urine sample and
to complete a short
diary giving details
of the time you
spent at home/ outdoors,
any use of pesticides
in the home, garden
or elsewhere, and
the food you have
eaten in the 24
hour time period
before the urine
sample collection.
We would like you
to repeat this exercise
once a week for
a period of 15-23
weeks. If you have
consented to your
child participating
in the study, we
would like you to
help complete the
questionnaires on
their behalf as
well as remind your
child to provide
the urine samples.
We will provide
you with the study
materials and the
researcher will
arrange to collect
these from you and
provide new materials
as required. We
will also provide
full instructions
on how to provide
the samples and
complete the diary.
Each individual
participant will
receive a £5 gift
voucher of your
choice for each
week you provide
a urine sample and
completed questionnaire.
This will be given
near to the completion
of each study period.
What will the
urine samples be
tested for?
Not all collected
urine samples will
be analysed; we
will select urine
samples for analysis
which coincide with
pesticide spray
events as well as
those collected
out with the spray
season to obtain
information on background
exposures. Urine
samples selected
for analysis will
only be tested for
the urinary outputs
of selected pesticides.
We would also
like to store urine
samples not analysed
during this research
project, in an anonymised
form, for any future
ethically approved
studies for pesticide
traces.
When will the
study take place?
The research
will take place
over two study periods,
taking place over
a 15-23 week period
during March to
November in both
2011 and 2012.
Will my taking
part in the study
be confidential?
Yes. All information
we collect from
you during the course
of the research
will be treated
in the strictest
of confidence and
in accordance with
the Data Protection
Act 1984. All participants’
data will be stored
securely and confidentially
and any identifiable
information collected
about an individual
will only be available
to authorised IOM
employees. We will
not identify you
in any documents
we produce. You
have the right to
withdraw from the
project at any time
and all urine samples
collected will be
destroyed upon request.
Benefits and
risks of taking
part
There are no
individual benefits
to you for taking
part in this research
study. However the
project will increase
our understanding
of whether the risks
arising from exposure
to pesticides, are
adequately controlled
by the present regulatory
system. There are
no risks to you
involved in taking
part in the research.
What will happen
to the information
collected?
Participants
will be given regular
updates on the progress
of the project,
for example, through
individual letters
and feedback from
the community researchers.
We also have a project
website where information
on the progress
of the project can
be obtained (www.pesticidebiomonitoring.org).
We will prepare
a report summarising
the results from
the project, which
will be publicly
available, and will
also aim to publish
in relevant scientific
journals.
It will not be
possible to provide
participants with
details of their
individual urinary
results Participants
will however, upon
request, be forwarded
a summary of the
urinary trace results
for all the samples
analysed and a copy
of the study report.
No details of any
individuals will
be disclosed in
any reports arising
from this work.
Who has reviewed
and approved the
study?
The study has
been approved by
the South East Scotland
Research Ethics
Committee 03Research
Ethics Committee.
Interested in
participating in
the study?
If you are interested
in participating
in the study and
are happy for a
member of the research
team to contact
you, please complete
the fields in the
Study Recruitment
Form.