Malathion binding to sections of human skin: skin capacity and isotherm determinations.

Human autopsy skin was sliced into three sections: an outer epidermis-rich layer, a middle dermis layer, and an inner dermis and subcutaneous fat layer. Each skin slice was bathed in malathion solutions over a 100-fold concentration range of 0.02-3.0 microM/g skin for 48 h at 37 degrees C. Malathion uptake approximated 50% for each skin layer over the total concentration range. Skin capacity for malathion is thus large. Single and double compartment dialysis was used to determine free and bound malathion. Isotherm calculations gave a partition coefficient intercept for epidermis-rich and dermis tissues with aqueous buffer of 2.72 and 2.74, respectively. That of the inner layer of skin was less at 1.70. When malathion was dialyzed against simulated plasma, the binding decreased 2-fold. Since the least partition coefficient (less bound malathion) was in the inner layer of skin, and since malathion has a preference for plasma over water, the two (inner skin and plasma) may combine to create the sink conditions necessary for malathion percutaneous absorption into the body.