Organochlorine pesticide residues in cow's milk from a tropical region of Mexico.
A monitoring study was conducted to assess the magnitude of DDT [(1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane)] and HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) contamination of bovine milk from the central tropical region of Mexico as the chemicals are extensively used in livestock and public-health programmes. Among pesticide residues analysed, the milk samples collected from Tlalixcoyan showed a mean level of gamma-HCH (0.128 mg x kg(-1)), which was significantly higher than residues in milk samples from Medellin (0.049 mg x kg(-1)) and Paso San Juan (0.022 mg x kg(-1)). The mean level of pp'-DDE in Medellin samples (0.039 mg x kg(-1)) was significantly higher than in Paso San Juan (0.018 mg x kg(-1)) and Tlalixcoyan (0.024 mg x kg(-1)) milk samples. The pp'-DDT mean level from Medellin milk samples (0.089 mg x kg(-1)) was significantly higher than the levels detected in the other two areas. The highest mean Sigma-DDT level detected in Medellin samples (0.146 mg x kg(-1)) was three times the FAO/WHO tolerance level. The highest acceptable daily intakes calculated for Sigma-DDT were 0.017 microg x kg(-1) bw day(-1) for adults and 0.530 microg x kg(-1) bw day(-1) for infants; for gamma-HCH residues, they were 0.021 microg x kg(-1) bw day(-1) for adults and 0.666 microg x kg(-1) bw day(-1) for infants, indicating that infants are more exposed to pesticide residues. Results indicate that cattle exposure to HCH and DDT results in high levels in dairy milk and a potential health risk for consumers.
Pardío
V T
VT
Laboratorio de Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Apartado Postal 1380 Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico 91700. vpardio@yahoo.com
Waliszewski
K N
KN
Landín
L A
LA
Bautista
R G
RG
D000818:Animals; D003634:DDT / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008800:Mexico; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*
D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D003634:DDT