Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum and adipose tissue from Bolivia.

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic chemicals that are highly resistant to biodegradation and have proven adverse health effects. The objectives of this study were to determine concentrations of three selected organochlorine pesticides (p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, HCB) and three specific PCB congeners (PCB 138, 153, 180) in adipose tissue and serum samples from an urban adult population (n=112) in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, and to investigate their relationships within and between the two matrices and with selected socio-demographic characteristics. The percentages of samples positive for these compounds ranged from 40% for PCB 180 to 100% for p,p'-DDE in adipose tissue, and from 21% for HCB to 93% for p,p'-DDE in serum. Median number of residues per sample was five for adipose tissue and three for serum. Geometric mean concentrations indicate a considerable historical and recent exposure to organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in this population. Adipose tissue:serum ratios ranged from 149.3 to 590.3 (wet basis) and from 0.9 to 3.5 (lipid basis). We found positive and statistically significant correlations between adipose tissue and serum concentrations only in p,p'-DDE and HCB. This novel study in Bolivia underlines the need for human biomonitoring to assess exposure to environmental pollutants in South America.

Arrebola JP ，Cuellar M ，Claure E ，Quevedo M ，Antelo SR ，Mutch E ，Ramirez E ，Fernandez MF ，Olea N ，Mercado LA ... -  《-》

Sociodemographic, reproductive and dietary predictors of organochlorine compounds levels in pregnant women in Spain.

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are consistently found in human tissues. Serum levels of organochlorine compounds (OC) in pregnant women in particular have raised concern about possible harm to humans in the early phases of physical and behavioural development. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between concentration of OCs in serum of two cohorts of pregnant women from Gipuzkoa and Sabadell in Spain and socioeconomic, reproductive and dietary variables. Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs: 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), beta and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH and γ-HCH), heptachlor epoxide, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) and dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) were measured in the serum of 1259 pregnant women. Associations between OCs and potential predictor variables were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders. The compounds most commonly found in the serum were p,p'-DDE (99% of the samples) and PCB-153 (95% of the samples). Geometric means of serum concentrations (ng g⁻¹ lipid) of organochlorine pesticides were 110.0, 19.1, and 33.5 for p,p'-DDE, β-HCH, and HCB respectively, while the geometric means of PCBs were 21.8, 38.9 and 26.9 for PCB 138, 153, and 180 respectively. The levels of all OCs increased with age. BMI was positively associated with the concentration of organochlorine pesticides but inversely related to PCB concentrations. The serum levels of OCs fell only after a cumulative period of breastfeeding of over a year. Levels of PCBs were related to fish intake, but in general dietary factors did not improve the explained variability of the concentrations of OCs. Overall, the levels of OCs found in the study are at the lower end of the range reported in Spain and other countries.

Ibarluzea J ，Alvarez-Pedrerol M ，Guxens M ，Marina LS ，Basterrechea M ，Lertxundi A ，Etxeandia A ，Goñi F ，Vioque J ，Ballester F ，Sunyer J ，INMA Project ... -  《-》

Serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the inhabitants of a Sicilian city.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides are common environmental contaminants that have been associated with human health problems. To assess serum concentrations of several organochlorine contaminants in general population living in a city with an ancient agricultural tradition and to identify possible exposure sources in Sicily. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 101 individuals. Each participant answered a face-to-face questionnaire submitted by well-trained personnel and provided a serum sample which was analyzed for the concentrations of PCBs, HCB, HCHs and DDTs by using gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. HCB, p,p'-DDE, PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180 were detected in more than 80% of the study participants. The ng g(-1) lipid median concentrations were: 18.6 for HCB; 175.1 for p,p'-DDE; 22. for PCB 138; 32.5 for PCB 153 and 23.0 for PCB 180. PCB 153 and PCB 138, PCB 138 and PCB 180, PCB 153 and PCB 180, and p,p'-DDE and HCB showed a high correlation each other (p<0.05). HCB and p,p'-DDE concentrations were significantly higher in subjects >49 years old (adj-p=0.03 in 50-69 years old and adj-p<0.001 in >69 years old, respectively) whereas PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180 concentrations were higher in males (adj-p=0.03), in subjects >69 years old (adj-p=0.04) and in current smokers (adj-p=0.04). The present study shows that serum concentrations of organochlorine compounds detected in subjects living in a small Sicilian city with ancient agricultural tradition are similar to those found in subjects living in urban areas of other countries. However, further investigations are needed to compare data from rural/urban areas in the same country, assessing correlations between serum concentrations of several chemical compounds and potential health effects in general population.

Amodio E ，Turci R ，Massenti MF ，Di Gaudio F ，Minoia C ，Vitale F ，Firenze A ，Calamusa G ... -  《-》

Comparison of organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human breast adipose tissue and serum.

Archibeque-Engle SL ，Tessari JD ，Winn DT ，Keefe TJ ，Nett TM ，Zheng T ... -  《journal of toxicology and environmental health》

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human adipose tissue from northern Tunisia: Current extent of contamination and contributions of socio-demographic characteristics and dietary habits.

The aims of the present study were to investigate the current exposure levels of persistent organochlorine compounds (OCs) in adipose tissues intraoperatively collected from 40 patients over 20 years undergoing non-cancer-related surgery residing in Northern region of Tunisia (Bizerte), which constitutes an exemplary case, and examined association between levels of contamination and both socio-demographic characteristics and dietary habits. Concentration of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH and δ-HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane isomers (p,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDT) and metabolites (p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD and o,p'-DDD) and 12 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners were measured using capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detector. Overall, residue levels of OCs followed the decreasing order of DDTs > PCBs > HCB > HCHs. DDTs levels ranged from 74.49 to 1834.76ngg-1 lipid and contributing to more than 90% to the sum of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). p,p'-DDE was the most abundant in all samples and the p,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDE ratio (range between 1.85% and 58.45%) suggesting recent and ongoing exposure to banned commercial DDT products. PCB concentrations varied from 29.27 to 322.58ngg-1 lipid and PCB-180, PCB-153 and PCB-138 were the dominant congeners accounting for 70% of total PCBs. We did not find significant correlations between OC exposure levels and sex, parity, habitat areas and smoking habits. In females, the adipose tissue concentrations of DDTs, HCB and PCB-118 were positively correlated with age. There was statistically significant relationship between body mass index (BMI) changes and the adipose tissue levels of HCB and HCHs. No association was found between OCPs levels and dietary factors. However, our study suggests that fish consumption may be an important contributor of PCBs adipose tissue content of PCBs in Tunisian people. The presented work is highly significant, being the first study pointing out the chronic exposure to OCs in Bizerte.

Achour A ，Derouiche A ，Barhoumi B ，Kort B ，Cherif D ，Bouabdallah S ，Sakly M ，Rhouma KB ，Touil S ，Driss MR ，Tebourbi O ... -  《-》