title: Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum and their relation with age, gender, and BMI for the general population of Bizerte, Tunisia.
abstract: Human serum samples (n = 113) from Bizerte, northern Tunisia, collected between 2011 and 2012 were analyzed for 8 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers, dieldrin, and heptachlor and 12 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners. Concentrations of these residues in serum were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detector and total cholesterol (CHOL) and triglycerides (TG) levels were evaluated by enzymatic colorimetric method. HCB, p,p'-DDE, PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180, were the most abundant organochlorine compounds (OCs) detected in >95 % of the study subjects. The mean levels of p,p'-DDE and HCB in serum were 168.8 and 49.1 ng g(-1) lipid, respectively. The sum PCBs concentrations ranged from 37.5 to 284.6 ng g(-1) lipid in the samples, with mean and median value of 136.1 and 123.2 ng g(-1) lipid, respectively. The PCB profile consisted of persistent congeners, such as PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180 which contributed for approximately 82.7 % to the ∑PCBs. Statistical analysis showed that most OCs correlated significantly with age, considering all samples together or with gender differentiation. The present study shows that the levels of p,p'-DDE and ∑DDTs were significantly higher in females than in males (p < 0.05), while PCBs levels were significantly higher in male (p < 0.05) than in females. No statistically significant association was found between body mass index and concentration of any organochlorine pesticide or PCB congeners 153, 138, 180, or ∑PCBs.
authors: Laboratory of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (05/UR/12-03), University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, 7021, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Sihem
authors: S
authors: Ben Hassine
authors: Bechir
authors: B
authors: Hammami
authors: Walid
authors: W
authors: Ben Ameur
authors: Yassine
authors: Y
authors: El Megdiche
authors: Badriddine
authors: B
authors: Barhoumi
authors: Rached
authors: R
authors: El Abidi
authors: Mohamed Ridha
authors: MR
authors: Driss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003634:DDT / Q000378:metabolism; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006533:Heptachlor / Q000378:metabolism; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000032:analysis; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; C410127:PCB 180; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D006533:Heptachlor; C029790:2,2',3',4,4',5-hexachlorobiphenyl; D003634:DDT; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl