Assessment of DDT levels in selected environmental media and biological samples from Mexico and Central America.
Taking into account the environmental persistence and the toxicity of DDT, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) organized a surveillance program in Mesoamerica which included the detection of residual DDT in environmental (soil) and biological samples (fish tissue and children's blood). This program was carried out in communities from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. This paper presents the first report of that program. As expected, the results show that the levels for [summation operator] DDT in soil (outdoor or indoor) and fish samples in the majority of the locations studied are below guidelines. However, in some locations, we found children with high concentrations of DDT as in Mexico (mean level 50.2 ng/mL). Furthermore, in some communities and for some matrices, the DDT/DDE quotient is higher than one and this may reflect a recent DDT exposure. Therefore, more efforts are needed to avoid exposure and to prevent the reintroduction of DDT into the region. In this regard it is important to know that under the surveillance of PAHO and with the support of UNEP, a regional program in Mesoamerica for the collection and disposal of DDT and other POPs stockpiles is in progress.
Pérez-Maldonado
Iván N
IN
Departamento de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Trejo
Antonio
A
Ruepert
Clemens
C
Jovel
Reyna del Carmen
Rdel C
Méndez
Mónica Patricia
MP
Ferrari
Mirtha
M
Saballos-Sobalvarro
Emilio
E
Alexander
Carlos
C
Yáñez-Estrada
Leticia
L
Lopez
Dania
D
Henao
Samuel
S
Pinto
Emilio R
ER
Díaz-Barriga
Fernando
F
D000818:Animals; D002489:Central America; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003634:DDT / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012987:Soil; D003634:DDT