title: [Residual concentration of hexachlorocyclohexane in a contaminated site in Cidade dos Meninos, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after calcium oxide treatment].
abstract: Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) are currently considered potentially carcinogenic to humans. In Brasil, severe soil contamination by HCHs has been identified at Cidade dos Meninos, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, where an old HCH factory was abandoned 40 years ago, leaving 1,700 local residents at risk. Calcium oxide treatment was performed on the most heavily contaminated (focus) area. Analysis of superficial soil samples collected years after treatment still showed high residual HCH. Contamination levels as high as 6,200mg/Kg and 7,320mg/Kg were found for alpha- and beta-HCH isomers. For the gamma- and delta-HCH isomers, concentrations reached up to 140mg/Kg and 530mg/Kg, respectively. The results showed that calcium oxide treatment was not efficient to decontaminate the soil in this area.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saneamento e Saúde Ambiental, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brasil. rosalia@ensp.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Rosália Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Lúcia Helena Pinto
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Ana Elisa Xavier
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: de Oliveira e Dias
authors.forename: Sérgio Alves
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Josino Costa
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; C016538:lime