[Residual concentration of hexachlorocyclohexane in a contaminated site in Cidade dos Meninos, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after calcium oxide treatment].
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.
de Oliveira
Rosália Maria
RM
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
Bastos
Lúcia Helena Pinto
LH
de Oliveira e Dias
Ana Elisa Xavier
AE
da Silva
Sérgio Alves
SA
Moreira
Josino Costa
JC
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
D017610:Calcium Compounds; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D010087:Oxides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; C016538:lime