Distribution and health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides in agricultural soils of the Aghili plain, Southwest Iran

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are a well-known group of persistent man-made chemicals. In the present study, 55 agricultural soil samples were collected from the Aghili plain and analyzed for 20 OCPs with the aim of determining contamination profiles, spatial distribution, influencing factors and carcinogenic risks. Among different OCPs, only aldrin, dieldrin, 4,4-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, and 4,4-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane were detected. The other OCPs dosages were lower than the detection limit in all samples. The results of cancer risk assessment demonstrated no carcinogenic risks to an exposed population.