Darragh Doherty is a final-year PhD student in the Centre for Health and Safety at Work and the Centre for Toxicology Department, University College Dublin. His research focuses on conducting environmental and occupational human biomonitoring studies of pesticides in Ireland. In this presentation, he discussed two studies examining exposures to neonicotinoid insecticides in Ireland. The first of these studies showcased widespread, but low-level exposures to seven neonicotinoid insecticides among the general Irish population. The other study examined exposures to a specific neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, during a home-use scenario. Imidacloprid is used as a flea treatment for pets, and urine samples were collected from pet owners before and after applying a flea treatment containing imidacloprid. Increased exposures compared to the general population were seen among pet owners, but these exposures were below any health-based guidance value, indicating a safe level of exposure, based on current European guidelines.

Any queries about this presentation can be sent to darragh.doherty@ucdconnect.ie.