Impact of Pesticides on Atmospheric Formaldehyde Concentration and Ambient Air Quality
Ahmed A. El-Abssawy, Mamdouh I. Khoder, and Hoda F. S. Rizk
Department of Air Pollution Research, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
Corresponding author: Ahmed A. El-Abssawy
Department of Air Pollution Research,
National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: a_elabssawy@yahoo.com
CEJOEM 2006, Vol.12. No.4.: 297–307
Key words:
Pesticide, formaldehyde, temperature, relative humidity, air quality
Abstract:
Hourly formaldehyde concentrations along with temperature and relative humidity were monitored before
and after three spraying processes of chemical pesticides performed on sunny days of spring and summer in
1999. The results revealed that the pesticide spraying process (PSP) raised the atmospheric level of
formaldehyde (HCHO) in the ambient air of the treated farm for five consecutive days reaching its maximum
on the 2nd day. The peak (101 ppb) and highest percent enrichment (304%) in HCHO concentrations were
found on the 2nd day of the 2nd summer PSP. The HCHO concentrations were higher after 1st and 2nd summer
PSPs (about 1.3 and 1.6 times, respectively) than those of the spring PSP. The most hazardous levels
were found around solar noon and 80% of them were found at 12 o’clock (local time). The formaldehyde
concentrations positively (although insignificantly) correlated with the temperature and negatively with
the relative humidity in both seasons investigated. In conclusion, chemical pesticides can be considered as
a risky source of secondary formaldehyde formation.
Received: 19 May 2005
Accepted: 15 December 2006
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