Organochlorine Pollutants Research Articles

Time to pregnancy and pregnancy outcome

To investigate whether the outcome of a pregnancy is related to the time required to achieve that pregnancy (TTP). The distribution of the TTP for pregnancies ending in multiple birth, early (before week 12) and late (weeks 12-28) miscarriage, stillbirth, and extrauterine pregnancy was compared to that of pregnancies ending in singleton birth. Furthermore, the distribution of the TTP for preterm singleton births was compared to that of full-term singleton births. Sweden. Information from three previous studies on reproduction was used: Women chosen for exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants, or exposure as a hairdresser, and their respective controls. None. Self-reported pregnancy outcome. An increased TTP (i.e., decreased fecundability) was associated with pregnancies ending in miscarriage (early as well as late) and extrauterine pregnancies. Pregnancies ending in multiple live birth tended to have shorter TTPs than those ending in single live birth. No association between TTP and stillbirths was found. Among women whose pregnancies ended in singleton birth, a prolonged TTP was associated with preterm delivery. The TTP of a pregnancy seemed to be associated with the outcome of that pregnancy. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon are, however, unclear.

Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Surface Sediments and Economic Shellfish of Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen Sea Areas

Samples of surface sediment and shellfish were collected from Minjiang Estuary-Mazu and Xiamen-Jinmen sea areas and were analyzed for hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyl-trichlorophenyl (DDT) and its degraded derivatives dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethane (DDT) and dichloro-dichlorophenyl-ethylene (DDE), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by gas chromatography. Concentration ranges of HCHs, DDTs, and PCBs in the sediments were 0.03–0.48, 1.10–14.3, and ND to 0.76 ng/g dw, respectively; those for shellfish samples were ND to 1.5, 21.5–892, dw and ND–3.7 ng/g dw, respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of such oganochlorine compounds (OCs) in the sediments were usually low as compared with other sea areas and estuaries, and the organochlorines were accumulated in marine bivalve mollusks, particularly in oyster. With respect to the concentrations of HCHs, DDTs, and PCBs in the samples of either sediment or shellfish, DDTs were higher than HCHs and PCBs. The concentrations of OCs in shellfish samples varied with the sampling locations and organism species but were generally higher than those in the sediments. The concentration distributions, compositions, and residue levels of these OCs are extensively discussed and evaluated.

Toxicological Effects of Gestational and Lactational Exposure to a Mixture of Persistent Organochlorines in Rats: Systemic Effects

A large multi-disciplinary study was conducted to investigate the systemic, neurodevelopmental, neurochemical, endocrine, and molecular pathological effects of a mixture of reconstituted persistent organochlorine pollutants (POP) based on the blood profiles of Canadians residing in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence region. This report outlines the overall study design and describes the systemic effects in rat offspring perinatally exposed to the POP mixture. Maternal rats were administered orally 0, 0.013, 0.13, 1.3, or 13 mg/kg bw/day of the mixture from gestational day (GD) 1 to postnatal day (PND) 23. Positive and negative controls were given Aroclor 1254 (15 mg/kg bw/day) and corn oil (vehicle), respectively. The rat pups were reared, culled to 8 per litter, and killed on postnatal days 35, 70, and 350, at which time tissues were collected for analysis. Exposure to high doses of the mixture elicited clinical, biochemical, and pathological changes and high mortality rates in rat offspring. Aroclor 1254 produced similar effects but a lower mortality than was seen in POP mixture groups. Biochemical changes consisted of increased liver microsomal activities and elevated serum cholesterol. Hepatomegaly was observed in the highest dose group of the mixture and in the positive control. Liver, thymus, and spleen were the target organs of action. Microscopic changes in the liver consisted of vacuolation and hypertrophy, and those in the thymus were characterized by reduced cortical and medullary volume. The spleen showed a treatment-related reduction in lymphocyte density and lymphoid areas. This study demonstrates that exposure to the POP mixture up to 13 mg/kg/day perinatally produced growth suppression, elevated serum cholesterol, increased liver microsomal enzyme activities, and immunopathological changes in the thymus and spleen, and lethality. Most of the effects were seen at dose levels much higher than expected human exposure.

SPERM CELL MOTILITY AND MORPHOLOGY IN RELATION TO ORGANOCHLORINE EXPOSURE IN INUIT AND EUROPEAN POPULATIONS

ISEE-196 Introduction: Inconsistent results have been found in previous studies of sperm cell motility and morphology in relation to exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs). the majority of these studies have been conducted among selected populations of infertility clients or occupational cohorts with a limited number of participants. Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study of semen quality and POP exposure by means of semen and blood samples from a total of 798 men from all regions in Greenland (n=201), fishermen from the east and west coasts of Sweden (n=191), inhabitants of the city of Warsaw, Poland (n=198) and inhabitants of the city of Kharkov, Ukraine (n=208). Blood samples were analyzed for CB-153 and p,p’-DDE using GC-MS. Sperm cell motility and morphology was measured according to the WHO (1999) guidelines and quality control was conducted to assess inter-observer variability. Multivariate statistics were used to analyze the association of the proportion of progressive motile sperm cells (WHO grade A+B) and proportion of sperm cells with normal morphology in relation to POP exposure controlled for population, abstinence time and age for both outcome variables and in addition time to analysis for sperm cell motility. Results: The lipid adjusted cb-153 serum concentrations varied greatly, with the highest exposure levels found in Greenland, followed by Sweden, Kharkov and Warsaw. p,p´-dde showed a different pattern with the highest exposure levels in Kharkov, followed by Greenland, Warsaw and Sweden. CB-153 and p,p´-DDE exposure levels were highly correlated in Greenland (r=0.92) and in Sweden (r=0.72), but less in Warsaw (r=0.40) and Kharkov (r=0.05). the sperm cell motility and morphology varied between populations, however, with no indication of any country being superior or inferior for both semen quality endpoints. Sperm cell motility was inversely related to log CB-153 exposure (β= −3.4; p=0.002) while the serum level of p,p’-DDE was not related to sperm cell motility independently of CB-153 exposure. the proportion of normal sperm cells did not reveal any significant association to either CB-153 or p,p’-DDE exposure. Conclusion: With the largest study performed to date on sperm cell motility and morphology, we observed that serum levels of CB-153 were negatively associated with sperm cell motility, but not with sperm morphology. As for p,p’-DDE concentrations, no association with the studied semen quality outcomes were seen.

Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial predatory birds of Belgium: levels, patterns, tissue distribution and condition factors

Liver and muscle samples from 7 species of aquatic and terrestrial predatory birds from Flanders (Belgium) were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). PCBs were the predominant compounds in our samples, which showed highest concentrations in the liver of barn owl ( Tyto alba) and sparrowhawk ( Accipiter nisus) (up to 1000 μg/g lipid weight). PBDEs could be determined in most samples at lower concentrations than PCBs (up to 64 μg/g lipid in sparrowhawk liver). Sparrowhawks had the highest levels of hexachlorobenzene, DDTs and PBDEs. In contrast, kestrels ( Falco tinnunculus) had relatively low levels of most measured organochlorines. BDE 47 was the most abundant congener in heron ( Ardea cinerea) and grebe ( Podiceps cristatus), while BDE 47, 99 and 153 were equally important in the terrestrial species. BDE 183 and BDE 209 were only measured in the terrestrial birds. These results indicate that terrestrial birds may be more exposed to higher brominated BDE congeners than aquatic species.

Levels of toxaphene congeners in white whales ( Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

This study reports concentrations of three pesticide toxaphene congeners (CHBs; CHB-26, -50 and -62) from the blubber of ten adult, male white whales ( Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway. The CHB congeners that occurred at the highest levels in the blubber of the white whales were, as expected, CHB-26 (4636 ± 1992 (SD) ng/g l.w.) and CHB-50 (6579 ± 2214 ng/g l.w.); CHB-62 (232 ± 231 ng/g l.w.) was also present, but at much lower concentrations. The mean level of the sum of the three CHBs (ΣCHBs = 11,447 ± 4208 ng/g l.w.) in this study is more than twice the mean concentrations of the well-known organochlorine (OC) pollutants ΣDDTs (sum of pp′-DDT, pp′-DDE, pp′-DDD) and ΣPCBs (sum of 27 PCB congeners) previously reported from the same individual white whales. The concentrations of CHBs in white whales from Svalbard are at the high end of the range for concentrations of these compounds compared to other Arctic white whale populations. Additionally, the contribution of CHBs to the overall OC burden is larger in white whales from Svalbard compared with their counterparts from other areas in the Arctic. Male white whales from Svalbard have several orders of magnitude higher concentrations of ΣCHBs compared to seals and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) from the same area. The high levels of CHBs in these whales, and their dominance in the OC pattern, suggests that white whales in Svalbard are exposed to high levels of this group of contaminants. Further studies are needed to investigate possible effects of CHBs and other OC contaminants on the white whale population in Svalbard.

Status and fuzzy comprehensive assessment of combined heavy metal and organo-chlorine pesticide pollution in the Taihu Lake region of China

The status of combined heavy metal and organo-chlorine pesticide (OCPs; i.e. HCH and DDT) pollution was investigated and the soil environmental quality of the Taihu Lake watershed, one of the most developed regions in China, was evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment. Statistical analyses showed the presence of combined pollution in the soil. At many sampling sites, heavy metal concentrations were above corresponding background values, indicating the effects of extraneous pollutants. It has been over 20 years since China banned the use of OCPs, but they can still be found in soil samples of this region. HCH levels at all investigated sites were below the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils. Fuzzy comprehensive assessment showed that the overall soil quality in this region could be categorized as class I. Nevertheless, the high coefficients of variation for levels of DDT, Cd and Hg indicated the existence of some point-source pollution. Continuous monitoring and further studies of the region are recommended to prevent pollution of farmland from these sources.

Exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants associates with human sperm Y:X chromosome ratio

During the last decades, there has been concern that exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs), may contribute to sex ratio changes in offspring of exposed populations. To investigate whether exposure to 2,2'4,4'5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (p,p'-DDE) affect Y:X chromosome proportion, semen of 149 Swedish fishermen, aged 27-67 years, was investigated. The men provided semen and blood for analysis of hormone, CB-153 and p,p'-DDE levels. The proportion of Y- and X-chromosome bearing sperm in semen samples was determined by two-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Log transformed CB-153 as well as log transformed p,p'-DDE variables were both significantly positively associated with Y chromosome fractions (P-values = 0.05 and <0.001, respectively). Neither age, smoking nor hormone levels showed any association with Y-chromosome fractions. This is the first study to indicate that exposure to POPs may increase the proportion of ejaculated Y-bearing spermatozoa. These data add to the growing body of evidence that exposure to POPs may alter the offspring sex ratio.

Exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants and seminal levels of markers of epididymal and accessory sex gland functions in Swedish men

A major exposure route for persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) in Sweden is through consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea. Endocrine disruptors, such as POPs, may have a negative impact on sperm quality. The present study aimed to investigate whether exposure to 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) affects epididymal and accessory sex gland function. 157 fishermen from the coastal stretches of Sweden, aged 27-67 years, provided semen samples which were analyzed for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), neutral alpha-glucosidase (NAG), fructose and zinc levels. Serum levels of CB-153 and p'p-DDE were determined. The median CB-153 serum level was 189 ng/g lipid (range 40-1460) and a median p,p'-DDE serum level 231 ng/g lipid (range 40-2252). There was a significant linear association between CB-153 and total amount of PSA (slope [beta] = -2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.0, -0.9; P = 0.02). With age, abstinence time and smoking included in the model the association became non-significant (beta = -1.4, 95% CI-3.0, 0.1; P = 0.07). There were no significant associations between CB-153 and zinc, fructose and NAG. As for the exposure variable p,p'-DDE and the outcome variables, no significant associations were found. The study gives only very limited support of an association between CB-153 in serum and total PSA, and a random finding cannot be excluded.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and traditional organochlorine pollutants in fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis) from the Faroe Islands

The observed high-level burdens of organohalogens among the residents of the Faroe Islands, needs to be explained. Long-finned pilot whale ( Globicephala melas) blubber and meat are known sources of environmental exposure. The present study focus on the organohalogen contamination of the fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialis). The compounds quantified in fulmar muscle, fat, and egg are PCBs, DDTs, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The dominating pollutants are the 4,4′-DDT metabolite 4,4′-DDE and the two PCB congeners, CB-153 and CB-180, which are present in geometric mean concentrations of 7100, 4700 and 2500 ng/g lipid weight (l.w.), respectively, in adult fulmar muscle. 4,4′-DDT and HCB concentrations are approximately 250 ng/g l.w., each. Concentrations in the eggs are about 50% of the fulmar muscle levels, due to differences in lipid amounts, 4% in muscle and 10% in the eggs, the exposure contribution on a fresh weight basis is almost the same. As a result, both the egg and the adult fulmar muscle may lead to a significant exposure risk, if consumed by humans. BDE-153, the most abundant PBDE congener in fulmar muscle, with a geometric mean concentration of 6.5 ng/g l.w., is much lower than the individual PCB congeners and 4,4′-DDE concentrations. In the adult fulmar muscle, the relative PBDE congener pattern is different from that previously observed in biota, with BDE-153 and BDE-154 as the dominating congeners, rather than BDE-47. In contrast, BDE-47 is the most abundant congener in juvenile muscle and subcutaneous fat. The ∑PBDE concentrations are almost the same in egg, muscle (adult and juvenile) and subcutaneous fat (juvenile). For the polybrominated biphenyl (BB-153) the concentrations are considerably higher in the adult bird and egg than in the juvenile bird; this is also seen for the PCB and 4,4′-DDE concentrations. PCB concentrations found in fulmar egg and muscle are in the same range as seen in the pilot whale, i.e. 590–5700 ng/g l.w. for CB-153. Hence humans are also exposed to PCBs at a reasonable degree via intake of fulmar and/or fulmar egg and not only via pilot whale blubber.

Relationships between ecological variables and four organochlorine pollutants in an artic glaucous gull ( Larus hyperboreus) population

The Arctic has become a sink for organochlorine contaminants (OCs) from lower latitudes, and relatively high levels have been found in different biota. Recent studies of the glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus, a top predator in the arctic food web, have documented that high blood residues of various OCs are related to lower reproductive performance and reduced adult survival. Here we provide additional evidence that OCs are having ecological effects in the glaucous gull population at Bear Island in the Norwegian Arctic, and compare the effects of the four major OCs found in the glaucous gulls: HCB, oxychlordane, DDE and PCBs, which made up >95% of measured OCs. Firstly; it has previously been shown that gulls with high levels of PCBs in their blood spent more time away from the nest site during incubation than gulls with low levels. Here we reanalyzed the data and found that PCBs ( P<0.02) and oxychlordane ( P<0.05) were positive and significantly related to time away from the nest site, while DDE and HCB were not related to this trait. Secondly, among females which bred in an area where fish dominated the diet, and thus had high flight costs during feeding, early chick growth was negatively related to maternal levels of all four OCs, especially HCB and DDE ( P<0.01). On the contrary, among females breeding in an area where the diet was dominated by eggs and young from nearby seabird colonies, and thus feeding costs were low, there were no effects of OC levels on early chick growth. This indicates that additional stress may be fundamental in causing reproductive effects of OCs in this population. Finally, during three breeding seasons we examined the probability of adults returning to the breeding grounds in the subsequent season, as a function of blood concentration of the four OCs. Overall, return rate from one year to the next was negatively related to blood residues of oxychlordane ( P=0.02), but not significantly related to the other three compounds. Further support for the importance of oxychlordane was that a 60% drop in the blood levels between 1997 and 2000 led to a significant increase in return rate between these two years.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Menstrual Cycle Characteristics

Experimental studies in nonhuman primates provide evidence that low-level exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may affect aspects of their menstrual cycle, including cycle length, regularity, and bleeding duration. Few studies have examined these associations in humans. We used data from 2314 pregnant women who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a cohort study that enrolled pregnant women in the 1960s in 12 centers in the United States. Information about usual (prepregnancy) menstrual cycle length, regularity, bleeding duration, and dysmenorrhea was collected at enrollment, and 11 PCBs and p,p'-DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) were measured in stored blood samples collected during the third trimester of pregnancy. We used multivariate linear and logistic regression to examine the association between organochlorine levels and menstrual cycles, adjusting for demographic factors, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Total PCBs were positively associated with increasing menstrual cycle length (adjusted difference across 5 categories of PCB exposure = 0.7 days, trend-test P value = 0.02). Irregular cycles were slightly more frequent among those in the 2 highest categories of PCB exposure (odds ratio for highest category = 1.5; 95% confidence interval = 0.70-3.3), and there also was some evidence of an association with DDE. The strengths of these associations increased with various exclusions made to decrease potential misclassification of the outcome and the exposures. There was little evidence for associations between DDE or PCBs and bleeding duration, heavy bleeding, or dysmenorrhea. This study supports experimental studies in monkeys showing an effect of low-dose PCB exposure on menstrual function.

Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pollutants in eggs of little owls ( Athene noctua) from Belgium

Residues of brominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in 40 eggs of little owls ( Athene noctua), a terrestrial top predator from Belgium. The major organohalogens detected were PCBs (median 2,600 ng/g lipid, range 790–23 000 ng/g lipid). PCB 153,138/163, 170, 180 and 187 were the predominant congeners and constituted 71% of total sum PCBs. PBDEs were measurable in all samples, but their concentrations were much lower than for PCBs, with a range from 29–572 ng/g lipid (median 108 ng/g lipid). The most prevalent PBDE congeners in little owl egg samples were BDE 47, 99 and 153. This profile differs from the profile in marine bird species, for which BDE 47 was the dominant congener, indicating that terrestrial birds may be more exposed to higher brominated BDE congeners than marine birds. The fully brominated BDE 209 could be detected in one egg sample (17 ng/g lipid), suggesting that higher brominated BDEs may accumulate in terrestrial food chains. Brominated biphenyl (BB) 153 was determined in all egg samples, with levels ranging from 0.6 to 5.6 ng/g lipid (median 1.3 ng/g lipid). Additionally, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) could be identified and quantified in only two eggs at levels of 20 and 50 ng/g lipid. OCPs were present at low concentrations, suggesting a rather low contamination of the sampled environment with OCPs (median concentrations of sum DDTs: 826 ng/g lipid, sum chlordanes: 1,016 ng/g lipid, sum HCHs: 273 ng/g lipid). Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and octachlorostyrene (OCS) were also found at low median levels of 134 and 3.4 ng/g lipid, respectively. Concentrations of most analytes were significantly higher in eggs collected from deserted nests in comparison to addled (unhatched) eggs, while eggshell thickness did not differ between deserted and addled eggs. No significant correlations were found between eggshell thickness and the analysed organohalogens.

Neonatal serum p,p’‐DDE concentrations in Germany: chronological changes during the past 20 years and proposed tolerance level

p,p'-DDE, the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT, is prenatally transmitted from mother to fetus. Many potential effects of low-level exposure have been reported, including preterm delivery, growth retardation and neurological impairment, although scientific evidence is still lacking. We present p,p'-DDE concentrations in full-term human neonates over a time period of 20 years in Germany. Peripheral venous blood samples were taken from neonates born in 1984-85 (n=80) and 1994-95 (n=80), as well as cord blood samples from neonates born in 1998 (n=199), and peripheral venous blood samples from neonates born in 2002 (n=20). Blood specimens were immediately centrifuged, and serum was stored at -20 degrees C until analysis. Serum p,p'-DDE concentrations were determined with capillary gas chromatography followed by electron capture detection. Differences between study groups were tested for mean differences with the Kruskal-Wallis test. There were no differences between the study groups with regard to sex distribution, birthweight, gestational age, age of the mother, and smoking behaviour of the parents. We found a significant (P <0.0001) chronological decline of neonatal serum p,p'-DDE concentrations, with the highest values in 1984-85 (mean=1.49 microg/L; range: 0.30-5.58) and the lowest in 2002 [mean=0.18 microg/L; range: 0.07-0.54; tolerance level (95th percentile by rank)=0.30 microg/L]. Neonatal p,p'-DDE concentrations today are significantly lower than in the mid-1990s, when many studies of adverse side effects of p,p'-DDE were performed. The present results suggest that the neonatal burden of p,p'-DDE now is so low that there may be no attendant health risks for newborns and children, however, further studies are warranted to elucidate possible long-term health effects even of low-level organochlorine pollution.

A preliminary report of persistent organochlorine pollutants in the Yellow Sea

A preliminary report of persistent organochlorine pollutants in the Yellow Sea

Spectrophotometric detection of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in water using immobilized and water-soluble porphyrins

The spectrophotometric properties of porphyrins are altered upon interaction with chlorophenols and other organochlorine pollutants. Meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS), zinc meso-tetra(4-sulfonato phenyl)porphyrin (Zn-TPPS), monosulfonate-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPPS 1), meso-tri(4-sulfonatophenyl)mono(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (C 1TPP), meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (C 4TPP), and copper meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (Cu-C 4TPP) in solution exhibit a broad absorbance in the range 400–450 nm Soret region. The interaction of the above mentioned porphyrins in solution with pentachlorophenol (PCP) induces a red shift in the Soret spectrum with absorbance losses at 413, 418, 403, 405, 407, and 404 nm, respectively, and the appearance of new peaks at 421, 427, 431, 416, 417, and 416 nm, respectively. The intensity of the Soret spectral change is proportional to the pentachlorophenol concentration with a detection limit of 1, 0.5, 1.16, 1, 0.5, and 0.5 ppb, respectively. The interaction of (C 4TPP) and (Cu-C 4TPP) in solution with PCP shows to concentration dependent for concentrations less than 4 ppb the dependence was log-linear. However, for concentrations greater than 4 ppb the relation was linear. Monosulfonate-tetraphenylporphyrin immobilized as a monolayer on a Kimwipe ® tissue exhibits an absorbance peak in the Soret region at 422 nm. The interaction of the porphyrin with PCP induces a red shift in the Soret spectrum with absorbance loss at 419 nm and the appearance of new peaks at 446 nm. The intensity of the Soret spectral change is proportional to the log of PCP concentration. The detection limit with immobilized TPPS 1 for PCP is 0.5 ppb. These results suggest the potential for development of spectrophotometric chemosensor for PCP residues in water with detection limits less than US EPA maximum contaminate level (MCL) of 1 ppb. The immobilized TPPS 1 on the Kimwipe ® will make it possible to develop a wiping sensors to monitor the PCP or other pesticides residues on the vegetables or wood products.

Persistent organic pollutants in edible marine species from the Gulf of Naples, Southern Italy

Edible tissues from 10 marine species, collected from the Gulf of Naples in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy) between February and July 2003, were analysed for the presence of organochlorine pesticides hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and DDTs ( p, p′-DDT, p, p′-DDE, and p, p′-DDD), and 20 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The PCB levels (calculated as the sum of all the determined congeners) were found to be the highest (from 56.8 to 47909.5 ng/g on lipid basis), followed by the DDTs (sum of p, p′-DDT and its metabolites; <dl–2095.5 ng/g) and HCB (<dl–165.4 ng/g). There were marked differences in residue levels of DDTs and PCBs among the various species under investigation (from P<0.05 to P<0.001). Since the presence of organochlorine pollutants was most evident in the strictly resident species which inhabit shallow coastal waters, contamination of the Gulf of Naples by these compounds probably derives from local agricultural, industrial, and municipal sources. Concentrations of DDTs and PCBs detected in this study were generally comparable or higher than those found in studies of similar species from other Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean regions subject to a high anthropogenic impact. From the human health point of view, the residue levels of HCB and DDTs detected in this study are well below the Maximum Residue Limits for some foods of animal origin (0.2 and 1 mg/kg fat weight for HCB and DDTs calculated as the sum of p, p′-DDT, p, p′-DDE, p, p′-DDD, and o, p′-DDT, respectively). However, the concentrations of PCBs (calculated as the sum of the seven “target” congeners IUPAC nos. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) detected in all the analysed samples far exceed the action limit of 200 ng/g fat weight recommended by the European Union for eggs, fresh pig meat, fresh poultry meat, and derived products.

Exposure to PCBs and p,p ′-DDE and Human Sperm Chromatin Integrity

Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), the major metabolite of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), are stable lipophilic compounds widely found in the environment and in the general population. They can enter the food chain, and their negative impact on male reproduction is currently under active scrutiny. To explore the hypothesis that environmental exposure to these compounds is associated with altered sperm chromatin structure integrity in human sperm, we conducted a study of 176 Swedish fishermen (with low and high consumption of fatty fish, a very important exposure source of POPs). We determined serum levels of 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and p,p′-DDE, and we used the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) to assess sperm DNA/chromatin integrity. When CB-153 serum levels (individual dose range, 39–1,460 ng/g lipid) were categorized into equally sized quintiles, we found an association with the DNA fragmentation index (%DFI). A significantly lower %DFI was found in the lowest CB-153 quintile (< 113 ng/g lipid) compared with the other quintiles; there was a similar tendency, although not statistically significant, between %DFI and p,p′-DDE. These results suggest that POP exposure may have a slight negative impact on human sperm chromatin integrity.

Determination of Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Rat Hair by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometric assay method was developed for the determination of persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) in hair. For the exact extraction study was used hair of rat exposed with POPs. Sonication of the hair matrix with 3 M HCl solution in methylene chloride of the extraction methods studied was the most efficient and rapid sample preparation method. After sonication of rat hair was achieved clean up with a solid phase extraction procedure using silica gel-florisil. Elution was performed with 8 mL of methylene chloride. The eluate was concentrated to approximately 100 <TEX>${\mu}L$</TEX> and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Detection limits of POPs were in the concentration range of 0.6-1.2 ng/g in rat hair. Aldrin, dieldrin, p,p-DDT and mirex were dosed rat for 4 weeks at concentration of 0.01 mg/L in drinking water and detected in rat hair at concentration of 2.8, 11.3, 7.9 and 15.6 ng/g, respectively. Aldrin and p,p-DDT were metabolized to dieldrin and p,p-DDE, which were detected in concentration of 9.7 and 2.9 ng/g in rat hair, respectively. The developed method may be valuable to be used to analyze POPs in human hair.

Organochlorine pollutants in soils and mosses from Victoria Land (Antarctica)

The major organochlorine (OC) pollutants, i.e. pentachlorobenzene (PCBz), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and DDTs have been analyzed in soils and mosses from coastal areas of Victoria Land (70–80°S, 160–170°E). PCBs (23–34 ng g −1 dry wt.) and PCBz (0.38–1.3 ng g −1 dry wt.) were the dominant OCs in mosses and soils, respectively. In general, the concentrations of OC in soils, i.e. HCB (0.034–0.17 ng g −1 dry wt.), PCBs (0.36–0.59 ng g −1 dry wt.) and 4,4′-DDE (0.053–0.086 ng g −1 dry wt.), range among the lowest reported in remote regions. These concentrations exhibited high correlation coefficients when represented vs. total organic carbon (TOC) which is consistent with the general correlation between OC and TOC in soils from remote areas recently observed (Meijer, S.N., Ockenden, W.A., Seetman, A., Breivik, K., Grimalt, J.O., Jones, K.C., 2003. Global distribution and budget of PCBs and HCB in background surface soils: implications for sources and environmental processes. Environ. Sci. Technol. 37, 667–672). Statistically significant dependences between reciprocal of temperature and log-transformed concentrations of HCB and 4,4′-DDE in mosses and α-HCH in soils have been found. These observations provide further data illustrating that temperature is a major factor determining the planetary scale distribution and accumulation of OCs giving additional ground to the general validity of the global distillation effect for description of planetary OC distribution.