[Exposure to lindane, other pesticides and organochlorines in the general population Barakaldo, Spain]. / Plaguicidas y PCBs en suero en población general de Barakaldo posiblemente expuesta al hexaclorociclohexano entre 1947 y 2002.

BACKGROUND: A plant of lindane in Barakaldo produced discharges of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Closed in 1987 leaving inside 4500Tm; the problem was not solved until 2002. A judicial process required an epidemiological assessment of the possible contamination The aim of this study is to measure the degree of impregnation of the POPs in the nearby population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted in 2008, 154 volunteers from three health centres in Barakaldo and 270 controls from Bilbao, Alonsotegi and Balmaseda. We measured serum levels of eight organochlorine pesticides, and seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We used the χ² test to study the association between categorical variables and t test of Student to compare geometric means. Confounding factors were adjusted using a linear regression model. RESULTS: There was a detectable compound average of 6.3 per person. PCBs 52 and 101, α -HCH, ß-endosulfan and heptachlor epoxide could not be quantified; PCB 28, γ-HCH and p, p'-DDT were detected in 6.6, 0.9 and 8.05 % of subjects respectively and the ß-HCH, HCB, p, p'-DDE, and PCBs 118, 138, 153 and 180 in the 73.8, 87.3, 98.6, 59.2, 97.6, 98.6 y 98.6 % respectively. After adjusting for age, there were no higher levels of ß-HCH in Barakaldo than in controls, (beta = 0.02, SE = 0.07), or HCB, p, p'-DDE, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180. CONCLUSION: Six years after having solved the problem near to the factory and storage of HCH, there was no significantly higher levels of HCH, after adjustment for age.

Plaguicidas y PCBs en suero en población general de Barakaldo posiblemente expuesta al hexaclorociclohexano entre 1947 y 2002 / Exposure to lindane, other pesticides and organochlorines in the general population Barakaldo, Spain

Fundamentos: Una fábrica de lindano de Barakaldo generó múltiples vertidos de hexaclorociclohexano (HCH). Cerró en 1987 dejando 4.500Tm en su interior, no solucionándose el problema hasta 2002. Un proceso judicial requirió una evaluación epidemiológica de la posible contaminación. Este trabajo pretende medir la impregnación de COPs en la población cercana a la planta. Métodos: Estudio transversal, realizado en 2008, de 154 personas voluntarias de tres centros de salud de Barakaldo y 270 personas controles de Bilbao, Alonsotegi y Balmaseda. Se cuantificaron en suero ocho plaguicidas organoclorados y siete PCBs. Se utilizó la X² para contrastar la asociación entre variables categóricas y la t de Student para comparar medias geométricas. Se ajustaron factores de confusión mediante regresión lineal. Resultados: Se detectaron 6,3 compuestos de media detectables por persona. No se cuantificaron PCB 52 y 101, alpha-HCH, Beta-Endosulfán y Hep-tacloro-Epóxido; el PCB 28, γ-HCH y p,p’-DDT en un 6,6, 0,9 y 8,05%; y el Beta-HCH , HCB, p,p’-DDE y PCB 118, 138, 153 y 180 en el 73,8, 87,3, 98,6, 59,2, 97,6, 98,6 y 98,6% de los individuos, respectivamente. Ajustando por la edad no se observaron niveles más elevados en Barakaldo que en la población control de Beta-HCH (beta= 0,02; EE= 0,07), ni de HCB, p,p’-DDE, PCB 118, 138, 153 y 180. Conclusiones: Seis años después de resolverse el problema de los residuos en la población cercana a la fábrica de producción y de un almacenamiento masivo de HCH, no se observaron niveles significativamente mayores de HCH, tras su ajuste por edad(AU)

Bakcground: A plant of lindane in Barakaldo produced discharges of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Closed in 1987 leaving inside 4500Tm; the problem was not solved until 2002. A judicial process required an epidemiological assessment of the possible contamination The aim of this study is to measure the degree of impregnation of the POPs in the nearby population. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 2008, 154 volunteers from three health centres in Barakaldo and 270 controls from Bilbao, Alonsotegi and Balmaseda. We measured serum levels of eight organochlorine pesticides, and seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We used the X² test to study the association between categorical variables and t test of Student to compare geometric means. Confounding factors were adjusted using a linear regression model. Results: There was a detectable compound average of 6.3 per person. PCBs 52 and 101, alpha-HCH, Beta-endosulfan and heptachlor epoxide could not be quantified; PCB 28, γ-HCH and p, p'-DDT were detected in 6.6, 0.9 and 8.05 % of subjects respectively and the Beta-HCH, HCB, p, p'-DDE, and PCBs 118, 138, 153 and 180 in the 73.8, 87.3, 98.6, 59.2, 97.6, 98.6 y 98.6 % respectively. After adjusting for age, there were no higher levels of BetaHCH in Barakaldo than in controls, (beta = 0.02, SE = 0.07), or HCB, p, p'DDE, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180. Conclusion: Six years after having solved the problem near to the factory and storage of HCH, there was no significantly higher levels of HCH, after adjustment for age(AU)