Pesticides and Children's Issues

Children are not little adults

• Differences in metabolic rates
• Differences in xenobiotic metabolism

Differences in toxicity

• "Windows of vulnerability"
• Generally less than 10 fold
• Mechanism and target organ are generally the same as adult

Differences in exposure

• Consume more calories per unit body weight
• Fewer types of food, processed foods

Recommendations

• Better estimates of exposure
• Modify approach to tolerance setting
• Currently based on the highest residue concentrations on RACs based on field trials performed by manufacturers, 8500 tolerances
• If tolerance is > RfD, then tolerance is rejected
• Should be based on health considerations
• Toxicology testing during development - neurological, immunological, reproductive