Identifying populations potentially exposed to agricultural pesticides using remote sensing and a Geographic Information System.

• DOI: 10.1289/ehp.001085
• Publication Date: 2010-10-21T18:07:20Z
• Authors: M H Ward; J R Nuckols; S J Weigel; S K Maxwell; K P Cantor; R S Miller
• Keywords: Adult; Male; 2. Zero hunger; Agriculture; Environmental Exposure; Middle Aged; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; Feasibility Studies; Humans; Female; Public Health; Pesticides; Spacecraft; Aged; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Pesticides used in agriculture may cause adverse health effects among the population living near agricultural areas. However, identifying populations most likely to be exposed is difficult. We conducted a feasibility study determine whether satellite imagery could reconstruct historical crop patterns. Farm Service Agency records as source of ground reference data classify late summer 1984 image into species three-county area south central Nebraska. Residences from population-based epidemiologic non-Hodgkin lymphoma were located on maps using geographic information system (GIS). Corn, soybeans, sorghum, and alfalfa major crops grown area. Eighty-five percent residences located, these 22% had one four within 500 m residence, an intermediate distance for range drift pesticides applied agriculture. determined proximity specific calculated crop-specific probabilities pesticide use based available data. This demonstrated that remote sensing location can create maps. The have been estimated when about available. Using GIS, zones potential exposure measures study.