title: Overview of human health and chemical mixtures: problems facing developing countries.
abstract: In developing countries, chemical mixtures within the vicinity of small-scale enterprises, smelters, mines, agricultural areas, toxic waste disposal sites, etc., often present a health hazard to the populations within those vicinities. Therefore, in these countries, there is a need to study the toxicological effects of mixtures of metals, pesticides, and organic compounds. However, the study of mixtures containing substances such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, an insecticide banned in developed nations), and mixtures containing contaminants such as fluoride (of concern only in developing countries) merit special attention. Although the studies may have to take into account simultaneous exposures to metals and organic compounds, there is also a need to consider the interaction between chemicals and other specific factors such as nutritional conditions, alcoholism, smoking, infectious diseases, and ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yáñ ez
authors.forename: Deogracias
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Batres
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carrizales
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mejía
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Edelmira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García-Nieto
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Díaz-Barriga
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D003634:DDT / Q000009:adverse effects; D003906:Developing Countries; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004782:Environmental Health; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000009:adverse effects; D005506:Food Contamination; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007306:Insecticides / Q000009:adverse effects; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D007306:Insecticides; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D003634:DDT; D005459:Fluorides