Search

Abstract: Environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may cause detrimental health effects in the population with the developing foetus and infants being at highest risk. This paper reports on the findings of the pilot study that took place in seven geographical regions of South Africa, 96 pregnant women admitted for delivery participated in the study. The following selected POPs were analysed in maternal plasma: 15 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners (IUPAC No. 28, 52, 99, 101, 105, 118, 138, 149, 153, 156, 170, 180, 183, 187, 194); six DDT metabolites (dichlordiphenyltrichloroethane p,p''-DDT and o,p''-DDT; diphenyldichloroethylene p,p''-DDE and o,p''-DDE, dichlorophenylethane p,p''-DDD o,p''-DDD) and other pesticides such as hexachlorocyclohexanes (α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor, chlordanes (t-CD and c-CD), nanochlors (t-NC and c-NC) and mirex. The overall results showed large regional differences with the rural site having the lowest levels for all measured contaminants. The levels of PCB congeners were found to be low in all samples and across all sites. DDT metabolites were detected in most participants of this study and large regional differences were evident. Two malaria endemic sites, where indoor residual spraying (IRS) with DDT takes place to control malaria vector, were included in the study. The highest levels of DDTs were measured in the coastal malaria site (Indian Ocean) with geometric means of 5177ng/g lipid and 1797ng/g lipid for p,p''-DDE and p,p''-DDT, and 1966ng/g lipid and 726ng/g lipid for p,p''-DDE and p,p''-DDT in inland malaria site. γ-HCH was found to be elevated overall, except for the urban community; the highest levels were measured in the inland and coastal malaria sites. p,p''-DDT and γ-HCH were however not correlated, indicating different sources. The high DDT levels in the malaria spraying regions as well as the elevated γ-HCH levels are of concern and call for extended monitoring of women and children in selected regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As part of AMAP''s human circumpolar study of POPs, an international effort was initiated to extend coverage to communities across the Russian Arctic. Two additional laboratories were invited to join the analytical component of this effort, resulting in four participating analytical centres. Although quality assurance measures were put in place, and the level of performance of the laboratories was generally acceptable, deficiencies in the analytical protocols used were recognized subsequent to the collection and analyses of the plasma specimens. The current paper describes the criteria employed to critically appraise the four data bases and guide their integration into a single data set. Summary statistics are presented for plasma concentrations of major PCBs, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, β-HCH, and HCB for communities/regions across the arctic/subarctic Russian continent, and for one community located in the Aral Sea area of Uzbekistan (a control group). Highly exposed people were identified in the coastal communities of Chukotka, which appears mainly related to marine mammal intake, but recent pesticide use is also suspected. Other communities with intermediate levels of PCBs had relatively elevated β-HCH, p,p′-DDT and HCB concentrations and low DDE/DDT ratios (<10), suggesting recent pesticide use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]