Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the levels of organochlorine pesticides HCB, α-β-γ-HCH, pp′DDE, op′DDT and pp′DDT in adipose tissue of females living in Puebla, Mexico. Organochlorine pesticides were analyzed in 75 abdominal adipose tissue samples taken during 2010 by autopsy at the Forensic Services of Puebla. The results were expressed as mg/kg on fat basis. In analyzed samples the following pesticides were detected: p,p’-DDE in 100% of samples at mean 1.464 mg/kg; p,p’-DDT in 96.0.% of samples at mean 0.105 mg/kg; op′DDT in 89.3% of monitored samples at mean 0.025 mg/kg and β-HCH in 94.7% of the samples at mean 0.108 mg/kg. To show if organochlorine pesticide levels in monitored female’s adipose tissues are age dependant, the group was divided in three ages ranges (13–26, 26–57 and 57–96 years). The mean and median levels of all organochlorine pesticides increase significantly (p < 0.05) from the first to second and from the first to third group. At the same time, the increase of mean and medians levels from the second to third group were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The present results compared to previous ones from 2008 indicates an increase in the concentrations during the 2010 study, but only the differences for pp’DDE and op’DDT were statistically significant. The 2010 group of females was older compared to the 2008 group. The presence of organochlorine pesticide residues is still observed, indicating uniform and permanent exposure to the pesticides by Puebla inhabitants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alegria H, Wong F, Jantunen LM, Bidleman TF, Salvador-Figueroa M, Gold-Bouchot G, Ceja-Moreno V, Waliszewski SM, Infanzon R (2008) Organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in air of southern México (2002–2004). Atmos Environ 42(38):8810–8818
Borchers A, Teuber SS, Keen CL, Gershwin ME (2010) Food Safety. Clin Rev Allerg Immunol 39:95–141
Daglioglu N, Gulmen MK, Akcan R, Efeoglu P, Yener F, Unal I (2010) Determination of organochlorine pesticides residues in human adipose tissue, data from Cukurova, Turkey. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 85:97–102
Eskenazi B, Chevrier J, Goldman Rosas L, Anderson HA, Bornman MS, Bouwman H, Chen A, Cohn BA, de Jager Ch, Henshel DS, Leipzig F, Leipzig JS, Lorenz EC, Suzanne SM, Snedeker M, Stapleton D (2009) The pine river statement: human health consequences of DDT use. Environ Health Perspect 117(9):1359–1367
Ferre-Huguet N, Bosch C, Lourencetti C, Nadal M, Schuhmacher M, Grimalt JO, Domingo JL (2009) Human health risk assessment of environmental exposure to organochlorine compounds in the catalan stretch of the ebro river, Spain. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 83:662–667
Herrero-Mercado M, Waliszewski SM, Caba M, Martínez-Valenzuela C, Gómez Arroyo S, Villalobos Pietrini R, Cantú Martínez PC, Hernández-Chalate F (2011) Organochlorine pesticide gradient levels among maternal adipose tissue, maternal blood serum and umbilical blood serum. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:289–293
Martínez-Salinas RI, Díaz-Barriga F, Batres-Esquivel LE, Pérez-Maldonado IN (2011) Assessment of the levels of DDT and its metabolites in soil and dust samples from Chiapas, Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:33–37
Meeker JD, Missmer SA, Altshul L, Vitonis AF, Ryan L, Cramer DW, Hauser R (2009) Serum and follicular fluid organochlorine concentrations among women undergoing assisted reproduction technologies. Environ Health 8(32):1–10
Ritter R, Scheringer M, MacLeod M, Hungerbühler K (2011) Assessment of nonoccupational exposure to DDT in the tropics and the north: relevance of uptake via inhalation from indoor residual spraying. Environ Health Perspect 119:707–712
Santiago EC, Cayetano MG (2011) Organochlorine pesticides in ambient air in selected urban and rural residential areas in the Philippines derived from passive samplers with polyurethane disks. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86:50–56
Waliszewski SM, Gómez-Arroyo S, Carvajal O, Villalobos-Pietrini R, Infanzón RM (2004) Uso del ácido sulfúrico en las determinaciones de plaguicidas organoclorados. Rev Int Contam Ambient 20:185–192
Waliszewski SM, Valencia Quintana R, Corona CA, Herrero M, Sánchez K, Aguirre H, Aldave IA, Gómez Arroyo S, Villalobos Pietrini R (2010) Comparison of organochlorine pesticide levels in human adipose tissue of inhabitants from Veracruz and Puebla, Mexico. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 58:230–236
Waliszewski SM, Caba M, Herrero-Mercado M, Saldariaga-Noreña H, Meza E, Zepeda R, Martínez-Valenzuela C, Infanzon R, Hernández-Chalate F (2011) Monitoring of organochlorine pesticide residue levels in adipose tissue of Veracruz, Mexico inhabitants. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 87:539–544
Wong F, Alegria H, Jantunen LM, Bidleman TF, Salvador-Figueroa M, Gold-Bouchot G, Ceja-Moreno V, Waliszewski SM, Infanzon R (2008) Organochlorine pesticides in soil and air of southern Mexico: chemical profiles and potential for soil emissions. Atmos Environ 42:7737–7745
Acknowledgments
The authors express their appreciation to Winston Smith of the Peace Corps México for his help in editing this article.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Waliszewski, S.M., Sanchez, K., Caba, M. et al. Organochlorine Pesticide Levels in Female Adipose Tissue from Puebla, Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88, 296–301 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0438-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0438-1