. 2022 May;32(3):481-492.

doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00339-z. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Key considerations for assessing soil ingestion exposures among agricultural workers

Sara N Lupolt^{1

2

3}, Jacqueline Agnew⁴, Thomas A Burke^{5

6}, Ryan David Kennedy⁷, Keeve E Nachman^{8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
² Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
³ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁷ Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁸ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
⁹ Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
¹⁰ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
¹¹ Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.

PMID: 34079062
PMCID: PMC8170865
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00339-z

Key considerations for assessing soil ingestion exposures among agricultural workers

Sara N Lupolt et al. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2022 May.

. 2022 May;32(3):481-492.

doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00339-z. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Authors

Sara N Lupolt^{1

2

3}, Jacqueline Agnew⁴, Thomas A Burke^{5

6}, Ryan David Kennedy⁷, Keeve E Nachman^{8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
² Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
³ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. slupolt1@jhu.edu.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁷ Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁸ Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
⁹ Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
¹⁰ Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.
¹¹ Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. knachman@jhu.edu.

PMID: 34079062
PMCID: PMC8170865
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00339-z

Abstract

Background: Soil ingestion is a critical, yet poorly characterized route of exposure to contaminants, particularly for agricultural workers who have frequent, direct contact with soil.

Objective: This qualitative investigation aims to identify and characterize key considerations for translating agricultural workers' soil ingestion experiences into recommendations to improve traditional exposure science tools for estimating soil ingestion.

Methods: We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 16 fruit and vegetable growers in Maryland to characterize their behaviors and concerns regarding soil contact in order to characterize the nature of soil ingestion in the agricultural context.

Results: We identified and discussed four emergent themes: (1) variability in growers' descriptions of soil and dust, (2) variability in growers' soil contact, (3) growers' concerns regarding soil contact, (4) growers' practices to modify soil contact. We also identified environmental and behavioral factors and six specific agricultural tasks that may impact soil ingestion rates.

Significance: Our investigation fills an important gap in occupational exposure science methodology by providing four key considerations that should be integrated into indirect measurement tools for estimating soil ingestion rates in the agricultural context. Specifically, a task-based framework may provide a structure for future investigations of soil contact that may be useful in other populations.

Keywords: Agriculture; Exposure factor; Farmers; Soil ingestion.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

**Fig. 1. Comparison of demonstrative quotations of growers’ descriptions of soil, dirt, and dust classified according to EPA definitions of soil and dust and growers’ perceptions.**
Growers’ perception scale is located on right of figure with positive perceptions at the top, and negative perceptions at the bottom.

Fig. 2. Demonstrative quotations from grower interviews classified according to two sets of emergent factors: grower intention (unintentional or intentional) and cause of soil contact (individual behavior and environmental conditions).
Image to the left of quotation indicates route of exposure illustrated by quotation.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Key considerations for assessing soil ingestion exposures among agricultural workers

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Key considerations for assessing soil ingestion exposures among agricultural workers

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