Organochlorine Pesticides Mixture Research Articles

Breast cancer immunophenotypes and serum organochlorine pesticides in Mexican women: Mixture exposure approach

Epidemiological studies on associations between breast cancer (BC) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are inconclusive. The majority of studies have evaluated the effect of single compounds without considering multiple OCP exposures and immunophenotypes of BC. We aimed to evaluate the association between BC immunophenotypes and serum OCP mixtures, and identify the main contributors within mixtures. We included 767 histopathologically confirmed incident BC cases and 908 controls from a population-based case-control study conducted from 2007 to 2011 in Northern Mexico. We obtained direct information about sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. We collected data from clinical records about hormonal receptors (HR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions. Immunophenotypes were determined as HR+/HER2−, HER2+ or HR−/HER2−. We quantified OCP and metabolites by gas chromatography using an electron capture micro detector. We used Weighted Quantile Sum regression to assess the association of BC and exposure to multiple OCP, and their contribution within the mixture. We found a positive adjusted association between BC and an OCP mixture (OR: 3.48, 95%CI: 2.58, 4.69), whose primary contribution arose from the isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane and endosulfan, as well as endosulfan sulfate. We also identified a mixture negatively associated (OR: 0.13, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.20), characterized by p,p'-DDT and chlordane metabolites. All these associations remained regardless BC immunophenotypes. This is the first epidemiological report that identified serum OCP mixtures associated with BC immunophenotypes. Due to OCP ubiquity, biomagnification, and continuous exposure, they constitute a global problem of persistent exposure that might be related to BC risk.

Association between exposure to a mixture of organochlorine pesticides and hyperuricemia in U.S. adults: A comparison of four statistical models

The association between the exposure of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and serum uric acid (UA) levels remained uncertain. In this study, to investigate the combined effects of OCP mixtures on hyperuricemia, we analyzed serum OCPs and UA levels in adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2016). Four statistical models including weighted logistic regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS), quantile g-computation (QGC), and bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the relationship between mixed chemical exposures and hyperuricemia. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential modifiers. Among 6,529 participants, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 21.15%. Logistic regression revealed a significant association between both hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and trans-nonachlor and hyperuricemia in the fifth quintile (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08–2.19; OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05–2.39, respectively), utilizing the first quintile as a reference. WQS and QGC analyses showed significant overall effects of OCPs on hyperuricemia, with an OR of 1.25 (95% CI: 1.09–1.44) and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.06–1.37), respectively. BKMR indicated a positive trend between mixed OCPs and hyperuricemia, with HCB having the largest weight in all three mixture analyses. Subgroup analyses revealed that females, individuals aged 50 years and above, and those with a low income were more vulnerable to mixed OCP exposure. These results highlight the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations from OCPs and to properly evaluate the health effects of multiple exposures on hyperuricemia using mutual validation approaches.

Gas Chromatographic Determination of Residual Concentrations of a Mixture of Organochlorine Pesticides in Food Products

Purpose of research. The aim of the work is to optimize the conditions for gas chromatographic determination of a mixture of eight organochlorine pesticides: aldrin, hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, α-hexachlorocyclohexane, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene.Methods. For chromatographic studies of organochlorine pesticides we used a Shimadzu GC-2010Plus gas chromatograph (Shimadzu, Japan) equipped with an automatic equilibrium vapor sample dispenser NT200N, electron-capture detector based on 63Ni and quartz capillary nonpolar column "Chromatek" SPB-5 (30 m, 0.32 mm, film thickness on the basis of phenyl(5%) and dimethyl(95%) polysiloxanes 0.5 μm) with an operating temperature range of 60°C 320/340°C. The chromatograms were processed in the application LabSolutions GPC.Results. On the basis of experimentally obtained data the optimal conditions for gas chromatographic determination and separation of eight-component mixture of organochlorine pesticides were selected, namely: the value of mobile phase flow division 1:10, carrier gas flow rate – 1.0 ml/min, two-stage temperature programmable column mode from 160 to 240°C with the rate of increase of 5°C/min. The metrological characteristics of the analysis and validation of the results of the proposed technique with the method of high-performance liquid chromatography were evaluated. Good reproducibility of chromatography results with the possibility of detection of organochlorine pesticides at the level of 10-6 – 10-5 μg/cm3 was proved. Application of Fisher's test has shown absence of significant differences in reproducibility of sampled populations the investigated methods of chromatographic analysis of COPCs are equally accurate. Extraction sample preparation of samples of real objects was proposed, the calculated extraction degrees >84% allow to recommend the technique for quantitative determination of analytes.Conclusion. The method of gas chromatographic analysis was tested for determination of organochlorine pesticides in samples of drinking water and baby puree (Russia) by additive method. Exceeding the norms of residual contents of organochlorine pesticides in the samples of the food products under study was not detected.

Exposure to organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, adherence to an ideal cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness among Chinese adults.

This study aimed to assess the relationships between exposure to individual organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and their mixture and arterial stiffness and explore whether adherence to an ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) could mitigate these associations. The cross-sectional study enrolled 1437 Chinese adults between March and May 2019 in Wuhan, China. OCPs and PCBs concentrations were measured using solid phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Arterial stiffness was evaluated by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). CVH was determined by three behavioral and four biological metrics and categorized as ideal, intermediate, and poor CVH. We applied generalized linear model and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression to evaluate the associations of exposure to individual OCPs or PCBs and their mixture with baPWV, respectively. We found that participants with detectable levels of heptachlor epoxide, PCB-153, and PCB-180 had higher baPWV (β: 34.25, 95% CI 14.28-54.22; β: 27.64, 95% CI 7.90-47.38; and β: 30.51, 95% CI 10.68-50.35) than those with undetectable levels. In WQS regression, the mixture of OCPs and PCBs was related to a higher baPWV (β: 24.93, 95% CI 2.70-47.15). Compared with participants with ideal CVH and undetectable OCPs or PCBs levels, those with poor CVH and detectable OCPs or PCBs levels had the highest increase in baPWV (heptachlor epoxide: β: 147.94, 95% CI 112.52-183.55; PCB-153: β: 150.22, 95% CI 115.40-185.04; PCB-180: β: 147.02, 95% CI 111.66-182.38). Our findings suggested that individual OCPs, PCBs, and their mixture exposure were positively associated with arterial stiffness, and adherence to an ideal CVH may mitigate the adverse effect.

Synergetic effects of concurrent chronic exposure to a mixture of OCPs and high-fat diets on type 2 diabetes and beneficial effects of caloric restriction in female zebrafish

This study aimed to investigate the relationship among chronic exposure to a low concentration of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, and caloric restriction in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Thus, female zebrafish were divided into four groups and treated for 12 weeks as follows: (i) negative control, (ii) HFD (obesity) control, (iii) obesity + a mixture of OCPs (OP), and (iv) obesity + a mixture of OCPs + caloric restriction (OPR). We then assessed T2D-related effects via hematological analysis, histopathology, mitochondrial evaluation, and multiomics analyses. The OP group showed a significant increase in glucose levels, whereas the OPR group maintained glucose at nonsignificant levels. Multiomics analyses revealed that the exacerbated metabolic effects in the OP group were associated with molecular alterations in oxidative stress, inflammation, nucleotide metabolism, and glucose/lipid homeostasis. These alterations were histologically verified by the increased numbers of hypertrophic adipocytes and inflammatory cells observed. Caloric restriction activated pathways related to antioxidant response, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, and energy metabolism in zebrafish, leading to preserved glucose homeostasis. In conclusion, this study identified molecular mechanisms underlying the synergistic effect of concurrent exposure to a mixture of OCPs and HFD as well as shed light on the beneficial effect of regular caloric restriction in T2D development.

Monitoring and risk assessment of exposure to organochlorine pesticides through the water supply system, case of Karkheh River in southwest Iran.

In this investigation, the concentration of some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was monitored in the Karkheh River and the risk assessment of exposure to these pesticides residue through the water supply system was calculated. The mean concentrations of Lindane, Heptachlor, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Endrin, DDT were 0.135, 0.123, 0.077, 0.081, 0.076, 0.01µg/L, respectively. The average risk of Lindane, Heptachlor, Chlordane, Dieldrin, DDT, and Endrin for adults was 1.2 E-6, 1.1E-6, 7E-7, 7.6E-7, 9E-8, 7E-7 or non-carcinogenic risks to adults decreased in Dieldrin > Chlordane > Heptachlor > Endrine > DDT > lindane. The hazard index for all organochlorine pesticides was less than 1. These results did not raise concerns about the health of people exposed to studied pesticides. Total concentrations of all OCPs in the Karkheh River were below guidelines for individual pesticides. The hazard quotient showed that the consumption of treated water from the Susangard drinking water treatment plant has no non-cancerous effects. The HI was less than 1 that indicating the risk of exposure to a mixture of OCPs was not significant. Developing policies to reduce the use of pesticides and the use of suitable management practices could be implemented to lower the pesticide levels in the Karkheh River.

Type 2 Diabetes Induced by Changes in Proteomic Profiling of Zebrafish Chronically Exposed to a Mixture of Organochlorine Pesticides at Low Concentrations.

Effect of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) mixtures on development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the underlying mechanism, especially at protein levels, are largely unknown. We exposed a mixture of five OCPs to zebrafish at concentrations of 0, 0.05, 0.25, 2.5, and 25 μg/L for 12 weeks. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were quantitatively identified in female zebrafish livers, and its functional study was conducted. The significantly high glucose and low insulin levels were observed only at 0.05 μg/L, linking to the different pattern of DEPs than other concentrations. A total of 1082 proteins was quantified, of which 321 proteins formed 6 clusters in protein dynamics analysis. The enriched pathways in cluster 3 showing distinct pattern of DEPs could explain the nonlinear response at 0.05 μg/L, indicating that OCP mixtures adversely affected proteins associated with mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. We proposed a feasible mechanism that decrease in expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase led to abnormal accumulation of aldehydes, reducing expression of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and resulting in disruption of glucose homeostasis. Our findings help to better understand the causality of T2DM by exposure to OCP mixtures and to identify biomarkers in the protein expression level.

Relationship between thyroid hormone parameters and exposure to a mixture of organochlorine pesticides, mercury and nutrients in the cord blood of newborns

The fetus is prenatally exposed to a mixture of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), mercury (Hg), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and selenium (Se) through maternal seafood consumption in real-life scenario. Prenatal exposure to these contaminants and nutrients has been suggested to affect thyroid hormone (TH) status in newborns, but the potential relationships between them are unclear and the joint effects of the mixture are seldom analyzed. The aim of the study is to investigate the associations of prenatal exposure to a mixture of OCPs, Hg, DHA, EPA and Se with TH parameters in newborns. 228 mother-infant pairs in Shanghai, China were included. We measured 20 OCPs, total Hg, DHA, EPA and Se in cord blood samples as exposure variables. The total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and the FT3/FT4 ratio in cord serum were determined as outcomes. Using linear regression models, generalized additive models and Bayesian kernel machine regression, we found dose-response relationships of the mixture component with outcomes: among the contaminants, p,p'-DDE was the most important positive predictor of TT3, while HCB was predominantly positively associated with FT3 and the FT3/FT4 ratio, indicating different mechanisms underlying these relationships; among the nutrients, EPA was first found to be positively related to the FT3/FT4 ratio. Additionally, we found suggestive evidence of interactions between p,p'-DDE and HCB on both TT3 and FT3, and EPA by HCB interactions for TT3, FT3 and FT3/FT4 ratio. However, the overall effects of the mixture on thyroid hormone parameters were not significant. Our result suggests that prenatal exposure to p,p’-DDE, HCB and EPA as part of a mixture might affect thyroid function of newborns in independent and interactive ways. The potential biological mechanisms merit further investigation.

Persistent organic pollutants and the size of ovarian reserve in reproductive-aged women

Industrial chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with reduced fertility in women, including longer time-to-pregnancy (TTP), higher odds for infertility, and earlier reproductive senescence. Fertility is highly dependent on the ovarian reserve, which is composed of a prenatally determined stock of non-growing follicles. The quantity and quality of the follicles decline with age, thereby eventually leading to menopause. In the clinical setting, assessing ovarian reserve directly through the histological analysis of follicular density in ovaries is not practical. Therefore, surrogate markers of ovarian reserve, such as serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) are typically used. Here, we studied associations between chemical exposure and ovarian reserve in a cohort of pregnant women undergoing elective caesarean section (n = 145) in Stockholm, Sweden. Full data (histological, clinical, serum) were available for 50 women. We estimated the size of the reserve both directly by determining the density of follicles in ovarian cortical tissue samples, and indirectly by measuring AMH in associated serum samples. Concentrations of 9 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 10 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 3 polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and 9 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were determined in serum, and clinical data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Healthy follicle densities (median 0, range 0–193 follicles/mm3) and AMH levels (median 2.33 ng/mL, range 0.1–14.8 ng/mL) varied substantially. AMH correlated with the density of growing follicles. Twenty-three chemicals detected in more than half of the samples were included in the analyses. None of the chemicals, alone or as a mixture, correlated with AMH, growing or atretic follicles. However, HCB, transnonachlor, PCBs 74 and 99 were associated with decreased non-growing follicle densities. HCB and transnonachlor were also negatively associated with healthy follicle density. Further, mixture of lipophilic POPs (PBDE 99, p,p’-DDE, and PCB 187) was associated with lower non-growing follicle densities. In addition, exposure to HCB, p,p’-DDE, and mixture of OCPs were significantly associated with higher odds of infertility. The results suggest that exposure to chemicals may reduce the size of ovarian reserve in humans, and strongly encourage to study mechanisms behind POP-associated infertility in women in more detail.

Associations of residential and occupational history with the distribution of persistent pollutant mixtures in adipose tissue samples

This research aims to explore clusters of a mixture of 15 Persistent Toxic Substances (PTSs) in the adipose tissue of 227 individuals of an adult cohort from Granada Province (Southern Spain). Information about residence and occupation during participants lifetime was gathered by means of validated questionnaires. Clusters of pollutants in the study population were identified by Principal Component Analyses (PCA). PCA analyses revealed three major clusters of pollutants: PC1, representing predominantly an assortment of metal(loid)s, namely aluminium, arsenic, chromium, nickel and lead; PC2, including mostly Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs), such as HCB, β-HCH and p,p’-DDE; and PC3, gathering mainly a mixture of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180) and metals (cadmium, cobalt and chromium). The patterns of distribution of individual pollutants and their mixtures were explored through Geographic Information Systems and multivariable linear regression models. Living in rural areas was associated with decreased levels of the mixture of PCBs and metals. Residents of industrial and heavy traffic areas showed increased levels of the mixture of metal(loid)s. Those living in rural and semi-rural areas at recruitment had decreased levels of the OCP mixture. Occupational history related to agriculture and food industry was associated with increased levels of the mixture of metal(loid)s, whereas those who had been involved in motor and industrial activities showed increased levels of the OCP mixture. Participants who had worked in cleaning and housekeeping activities for long periods showed decreased levels of the mixture of PCBs and metals. Our research revealed suggestive clusters of exposure, that emphasized the need for further epidemiological studies to address the effect of environmental pollutants from a mixture perspective. Results also highlight the potential of adipose tissue as a matrix for exposure assessment to combinations of different families of contaminants.

Differential mitochondrial dysregulation by exposure to individual organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and their mixture in zebrafish embryos.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been reported to cause mitochondrial dysfunction. However, most studies reported its mitochondrial toxicity with respect to a single form, which is far from the environmentally relevant conditions. In this study, we exposed zebrafish embryos to five OCPs: chlordane, heptachlor, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), as well as an equal ratio mixture of these OCPs. We evaluated mitochondrial function, including oxygen consumption, the activity of mitochondrial complexes, antioxidant reactions, and expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism. Oxygen consumption rate was reduced by exposure to chlordane, and β-HCH, linking to the increased activity of specific mitochondrial complex I and III, and decreased GSH level. We found that these mitochondrial dysfunctions were more significant in the exposure to the OCP mixture than the individual OCPs. On the mRNA transcription level, the individual OCPs mainly dysregulated the metabolic cycle (i.e., cs and acadm), whereas the OCP mixture disrupted the genes related to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (i.e., sdha). Consequently, we demonstrate that the OCP mixture disrupts mitochondrial metabolism by a different molecular mechanism than the individual OCPs, which warrants further study to evaluate mitochondrial dysregulation by chronic exposure to the OCP mixture.

Virgin (Fe0) and microbially regenerated (Fe2+) iron turning waste for treating chlorinated pesticides in water

This work investigated the applicability of iron turning waste as filtration media for treating mixture of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water and the ability of non-pathogenic bacterium Shewanella oneidensis to regenerate the exhausted iron turning waste for reuse. In batch experiments, 1.5 × 104 mg/L of iron turning waste efficiently removed (≥85%) five out of six pesticides in 200 mL of water (20 μg/L for each pesticide) in 10 min. Increasing the iron dose from 2.5 × 103 to 1.5 × 104 mg/L enhanced the removal of heptachlor, endosulfan, dieldrin, and endrin by 5.7, 13.2, 23.3, and 39.4%, respectively, whereas lindane and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane removal was comparable when using 2.5 × 103 and 1.5 × 104 mg/L of iron. Better pesticide removal (except lindane) was achieved when the initial concentration of each pesticide was higher (20 μg/L versus 1 μg/L) in the solution. Acidic pH favored OCPs (except endosulfan) removal. S. oneidensis efficiently reduced 80 ± 5% of dissolved ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+) in 72 h. Microbially regenerated Fe2+ iron removed all six OCPs in water efficiently (52–91%) and at similar levels as provided by virgin iron turning (38–100%). Lindane, endosulfan, and dieldrin removal increased 4-fold using S. oneidensis regenerated iron compared to exhausted iron.

Bottom-line mechanism of organochlorine pesticides on mitochondria dysfunction linked with type 2 diabetes

Environmental pollution by anthropogenic chemicals has become a considerable problem. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), a subclass of persistent organic pollutants, are used as insecticides and industrial chemicals. They are lipophilic and minimally degradable, and they easily accumulate in the environment and human body. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that exposure to OCPs strongly correlates with the development of type 2 diabetes, which involves mitochondrial dysfunction. To clarify their effects, OCP mixtures (β-hexachlorocyclohexane, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, 4,4′-DDT, and chlordane) were used to treat mitochondria from zebrafish livers. Results showed that as OCP concentrations increased, Ca2+ intake into the mitochondria rose, which increased the activity of mitochondrial complexes I, II, IV, and citrate synthase. Complex III yielded the opposite result because the OCP mixture mimicked decylubiquinol, a natural substrate of complex III. Our results reflect the actual state of toxins, non-monotonic, in the environment, which is important for determining the consequences of OCPs on mitochondrial dysfunction.

Association of Maternal Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants in Early Pregnancy With Fetal Growth

Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been associated with birth size, but data on fetal growth and among racially/ethnically diverse pregnant women remain scarce. To assess the association between maternal plasma POPs in early pregnancy and fetal growth and by infant sex and maternal race/ethnicity. This cohort study used the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton cohort, which recruited nonobese, low-risk pregnant women before 14 weeks' gestation between July 1, 2009, and January 31, 2013, in 12 community-based clinics throughout the United States. Participants self-identified their race/ethnicity, self-reported their behavioral risk factors, and were followed up throughout their pregnancy. Data were analyzed from July 31, 2018, to June 3, 2019. Levels of 76 POPs in early gestation plasma were measured: 11 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, 1 polybrominated biphenyl, 9 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 44 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The bayesian kernel machine regression method was used to examine chemical class mixtures, and generalized additive mixed model was used to analyze individual chemicals. Fourteen fetal biometrics were measured, including head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length, within 5 ultrasonography appointments. A total of 2284 low-risk pregnant women were included: 606 women (26.5%) self-identified as white with a mean (SD) age of 30.3 (4.4) years, 589 (25.8%) as black with a mean (SD) age of 25.5 (5.5) years, 635 (27.8%) as Hispanic with a mean (SD) age of 27.1 (5.5) years, and 454 (19.9%) as Asian with a mean (SD) age of 30.5 (4.5) years. A comparison between the 75th and 25th percentile of exposure revealed that the OCP mixture was negatively associated with most fetal growth measures, with a reduction of 4.7 mm (95% CI, -6.7 to -2.8 mm) in head circumference, 3.5 mm (95% CI, -4.7 to -2.2 mm) in abdominal circumference, and 0.6 mm (95% CI, -1.1 to -0.2 mm) in femur length. Higher exposure to the PBDE mixture was associated with reduced abdominal circumference (-2.4 mm; 95% CI, -4.0 to -0.5 mm) and femur length (-0.5 mm; 95% CI, -1.0 to -0.1 mm), and the dioxin-like PCB mixture was associated with reduced head circumference (-6.4 mm; 95% CI, -8.4 to -4.3 mm) and abdominal circumference (-2.4 mm; 95% CI, -3.9 to -0.8 mm). Associations with individual chemicals were less consistent. There were some interactions by fetal sex, although most of the results did not vary by maternal race/ethnicity. For example, oxychlordane (-0.98 mm; 95% CI, -1.60 to -0.36 mm; P for interaction <.001), trans-nonachlor (-0.31 mm; 95% CI, -0.54 to -0.08 mm; P for interaction = .005), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (-0.19 mm; 95% CI, -0.22 to -0.09 mm; P for interaction = .006) were associated with shorter femur length among boys only. This study found that, among pregnant women with low POP levels, a mixture of OCPs was negatively associated with most fetal growth measures and that mixtures of PBDEs and dioxin-like PCBs were associated with reduced abdominal circumference. These findings suggested that, although exposures may be low, associations with fetal growth are apparent.

Study of the removal of a pesticides mixture by a Streptomyces strain and their effect on the cytotoxicity of treated systems

Currently, organochlorine pesticides (OPs) are restricted or banned from agricultural and public health areas. However, many of these compounds have been found in high concentrations in contaminated sites, and therefore continue to pose environmental and health concerns. Thus, it is imperative to identify efficient microorganisms to remove them and to develop methods to remediate environments contaminated with OPs. In this regard, the aim of this work was to evaluate the individual and simultaneous removal of three OPs; specifically lindane (LIN), γ-chlordane (CLD) and methoxychlor (MTX) (2 mg L−1 of each pesticide alone or as constituent of a mixture), from liquid contaminated systems, employing a native and non-GMO Streptomyces strain. Toxicity test of the treated systems against the cell line Caco-2, and the detection in the genome of the used microorganism of sequences related with the pesticides catabolism are reported. The results demonstrated that, Streptomyces sp. A5 was able to remove individually 57.4%, 100.0% and 6.5% of LIN, CLD and MTX, respectively. From the pesticide mixture, LIN and CLD were efficiently removed on 62.2% and 68.6%, respectively by the studied strain. On the other hand, we demonstrated that the liquid systems contaminated with the OPs mixture and bioremediated with Streptomyces sp. A5 showed lower cytotoxicity than their respective controls without inoculate. Moreover, molecular studies revealed the presence in Streptomyces sp. A5 of putative lin genes with potential dehydrochlorinase, haloalkane dehalogenase and NAD-dependent dehydrogenase activities. Therefore, the potential of Streptomyces sp. A5 to efficiently remediate OPs alone or in mixtures from liquid contaminated system, was demonstrated.

Differential gene expression pattern in human mammary epithelial cells induced by realistic organochlorine mixtures described in healthy women and in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) have been associated with breast cancer development and progression, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well known. In this work, we evaluated the effects exerted on normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) by the OC mixtures most frequently detected in healthy women (H-mixture) and in women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC-mixture), as identified in a previous case-control study developed in Spain. Cytotoxicity and gene expression profile of human kinases (n=68) and non-kinases (n=26) were tested at concentrations similar to those described in the serum of those cases and controls. Although both mixtures caused a down-regulation of genes involved in the ATP binding process, our results clearly indicate that both mixtures may exert a very different effect on the gene expression profile of HMEC. Thus, while BC-mixture up-regulated the expression of oncogenes associated to breast cancer (GFRA1 and BHLHB8), the H-mixture down-regulated the expression of tumor suppressor genes (EPHA4 and EPHB2). Our results indicate that the composition of the OC mixture could play a role in the initiation processes of breast cancer. In addition, the present results suggest that subtle changes in the composition and levels of pollutants involved in environmentally relevant mixtures might induce very different biological effects, which explain, at least partially, why some mixtures seem to be more carcinogenic than others. Nonetheless, our findings confirm that environmentally relevant pollutants may modulate the expression of genes closely related to carcinogenic processes in the breast, reinforcing the role exerted by environment in the regulation of genes involved in breast carcinogenesis.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Surface Waters of Lake Taihu, China

ABSTRACT The residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface waters from Meiliang Bay, Gonghu Bay, and Xukou Bay of Lake Taihu, China, were investigated, and their ecological risks were assessed using the risk quotient method and probabilistic risk assessment. Environmental concentrations of OCPs in surface water of these bays were relatively lower compared with other rivers or lakes in China. Calculation of risk quotient associated with taxonomic groups indicates moderate ecological risks from OCPs for crustaceans and insects in these bays, while the ecological risks were low for fish and negligible for phytoplankton. The ecological risk quotients associated with individual OCPs were lower than 0.01 in these bays, suggesting a negligible risk to aquatic organisms. Ecological risk from α-HCH was relatively lower compared with DDTs, endosulfans, and γ-HCH. The combined ecological risks were evaluated using probabilistic risk assessment for only eight OCPs owing to a lack of available toxicity data for β-HCH and δ-HCH. The percentage of species with the potential to be at risk from mixture of OCPs was lower than the criteria of 5% in each bay, indicating that the combined ecological risks were acceptable.

Organochlorine pesticides mixture exposure assessment and DNA damage in mother–child pairs in agricultural community in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Organochlorine pesticides mixture exposure assessment and DNA damage in mother–child pairs in agricultural community in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Differential effects exerted on human mammary epithelial cells by environmentally relevant organochlorine pesticides either individually or in combination

Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) have been associated with breast cancer development and progression. However, the deleterious mechanisms exerted by these contaminants are yet unclear and need to be further elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a number of OCs (previously detected in human serum from a Spanish population), individually or in combination, on normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) at concentrations close to those found in human beings. The results obtained after a 96-h exposure indicated that OCs exert a clear cytotoxic effect on these cells at higher concentrations than those found in human beings. DDT-derivative organochlorines (DDT and its metabolites, DDE and DDD) are individually more cytotoxic than non-DDT-derivative organochlorines (aldrin and dieldrin). On the contrary, combinations of non-DDT organochlorines were clearly more cytotoxic than combinations of DDT-derivative organochlorines at concentrations close to those described in human serum. Additionally, transcriptional regulation arrays showed that the exposure of HMEC to an environmentally relevant mixture of OCs ( p,p′-DDD plus p,p′-DDE plus o,p′-DDE plus aldrin plus dieldrin) sharply upregulated the expression of a number of protein kinases genes, such as ACVRL1, ALK-1, KIT, ERBB3, and ALK-1 at concentrations close to those detected in human populations. Taken together, these findings show a detrimental effect of OCs on human breast cells and indicate a possible association between exposure to organochlorine pesticide combinations and the induction of transformation processes in human breast cells.

Parental Exposure to Pesticides and Poor Clutch Viability in American Alligators

In central Florida, alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) inhabiting lakes contaminated with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) produce eggs that have high OCP concentrations and low clutch viability (proportion of eggs in a clutch that yield a live hatchling) compared to those from less contaminated lakes (reference lakes). However, a clear dose-response relationship has not been established between OCPs and poor clutch viability. In order to better elucidate a cause and effect relationship between OCP exposure and clutch viability, we conducted concurrent field and laboratory studies. Our field study reaffirmed that eggs of wild alligators from OCP-contaminated lakes and wetlands continue to have lower clutch viability and higher OCP burdens than eggs from reference lakes. Our field study also demonstrated that OCP egg burdens were strongly correlated with clutch viability for some of the OCP-contaminated sites, but not all. To better test causal relationships, a parental exposure study was conducted using captive adult alligators. Our laboratory study demonstrated that dietary exposure of captive alligators to an ecologically relevant OCP mixture caused alligators to produce eggs with higher OCP burdens and reduced clutch viability, as compared to the captive-control population. The experimentally induced egg burdens and clutch viability reductions were similar to those of wild alligators from OCP-contaminated sites. Our field and laboratory results suggest parental OCP exposure may be contributing to low clutch viability in wild alligators inhabiting OCP-contaminated habitats, raising some concern for endangered crocodilians living in OCP-contaminated habitats.