Search

Under a multicentre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 1712 samples of wheat grain/flour were collected from urban and rural areas in 11 states representing different geographical regions of India. These samples were analysed for residues of DDT (2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloro ethane) and different isomers of HCH (1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachloro cyclohexane, a mixture of isomers) by gas-liquid chromatography. Residues of DDT were detected in 59.4% of 1080 samples of wheat grain and in 78.2% of 632 samples of wheat flour. Different isomers of HCH were present in about 45-80% of the samples of wheat grain/flour. Medians of DDT and total HCH, respectively, for pooled samples of wheat grain were 0.013 and 0.035 mg kg(-1), while those for wheat flour were 0.01 and 0.02 mg kg(-1). Estimated daily intakes of DDT and different isomers of HCH through the consumption of wheat contaminated at their median and 90th percentiles constituted a small proportion of their acceptable daily intakes. Amongst the pesticide residues analysed, statutory maximum residue limits have been fixed only for gamma-HCH in wheat in India, as 0.1 mg kg(-1) in wheat grain and zero in wheat flour. Residue levels of gamma-HCH exceeded these maximum residue limits in five of 1080 samples of wheat grain and in 340 of 632 samples of wheat flour. The failure to meet the requirement of the gamma-HCH maximum residue limit in large number of wheat flour samples was attributed to the fixation of practically unachievable zero limit. Comparing the previous studies and the present one, the levels of residues of DDT and HCH in wheat were significantly decreased.

As part of a multicentre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 2000 samples of rice were collected from rural and urban areas of 13 states representing different geographical regions of India. The samples were analyzed for residues of DDT [2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane] and different isomers of HCH [1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane, a mixture of isomers] by gas-chromatography. Residues of DDT and HCH, respectively, were detected in about 58 and 73% of the samples analysed. Medians of both DDT and HCH in rice samples were around 0.01 mg kg (-1). Concentrations of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH exceeded a maximum residue limit of 0.05 mg kg (-1) for each isomer in rice fixed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Indian Government in 4.3, 2.6, 1.7 and 1.2% of the samples, respectively. There is no statutory limit fixed in India for DDT residues in cereals. Its maximum residue limit of 0.1 mg kg (-1) in cereals recommended by Codex was exceeded by about 2% of the samples examined. Estimated intake of DDT and isomers of HCH through consumption of rice contaminated at their median and 90th percentiles constituted a small proportion of their acceptable daily intakes.

Under a multicentre study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 2205 samples of dairy milk were collected from rural and urban areas of 12 states representing different geographical regions of India. These samples were analysed for residues of DDT and different isomers of HCH by gas-liquid chromatography. Analytical quality assurance between various participating laboratories was ensured through analysis of check samples. The residues of DDT and HCH were detected in more than 80% of samples analysed. Concentrations of DDT residues, alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH and delta-HCH exceeded their maximum residue limits prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Indian Government in 37, 21, 42, 28 and 4% of the samples, respectively. Median values of DDT and HCH found in dairy milk in India were more than the corresponding values reported from most other countries. The results showed significant variations in the incidence as well as level of these contaminants in dairy milk from different regions of the country.