title: [Epidemiologic studies on the health status of the population living in the Sacco River Valley].
abstract: OBIETTIVO: to analyze the health status of the population living in an area close to the Colleferro industrial plant.
  
  
  METHODS
  the area of the Sacco River Valley, Central Italy nearby Rome, has been heavily polluted over the years by industrial wastes deriving from the chemical industrial plant in Colleferro. In 2006, it was discovered that the herds of livestock were contaminated by beta-hexachlorocycloexane (β-HCH, an industrial waste belonging, as well as lindane, to the group of hexachlorocycloexane isomers).
  
  
  METHODS
  the analyses of mortality and morbidity were carried out for the 1998-2007 period (calculation of standardized mortality ratios, SMR), and for the period 2003-2007 (calculation of standardized hospitalization ratios, SHR), respectively. The general population in the Lazio Region has been considered as reference. In addition, a biomonitoring study was conducted on a sample of the population living in 4 areas of the Sacco River Valley with different levels of exposure and the following persistent organic pollutants were measured in the blood (α, β and γ-HCH, HCB p,p'-DDT and p,p'- DDE, 6 NDL-PCB congeners and 12 DL-PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs), and heavy metals (Cd, Hg, Pb).
  
  
  RESULTS
  cancer mortality in men was increased in the area (SMR=1.20), especially for specific cancer sites (stomach, larynx, lungs, pleura, myeloma); in women an excess of mortality from diabetes was detected (SMR=1.44). The analysis of morbidity indicated an excess of hospitalization for various cancers (larynx, myeloma) in men, for respiratory illness and asthma in both genders and for thyroid disease in women. The biomonitoring study found high mean concentration of β-HCH (mean: 99.05 ng/g fat, SD=121.3), with higher levels in the population living along the river (mean=150 ng/g fat; SD=153.5), likely occurred through water and local food.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the area of Colleferro has been polluted by multiple sources and the human population has been exposed to industrial chemicals, toxic substances in the workplace, and to the cumulative accumulation of organic pesticides especially through water and food.
authors.affiliation: StrutturaOperativa complessa, Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione, Dipartimento di prevenzione, ASL RMG. d.porta@deplazio.it.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fantini
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fano
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Felip
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Senofonte
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abballe
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Ilio
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ingelido
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mataloni
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narduzzi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blasetti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forastiere
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D002417:Cattle; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D045483:Rivers; D012756:Sheep; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C023888:beta-hexachlorocyclohexane