A biomonitoring study on blood levels of beta-hexachlorocyclohexane among people living close to an industrial area.
Environ Health
; 12: 57, 2013 Jul 16.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23866943
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
A chemical plant manufacturing pesticides has been operating since the 1950's in the Sacco River Valley (Central Italy). In 2005, high beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (Beta-HCH) concentrations were found in milk of cows raised and fed near the river. We report the results of a biomonitoring study conducted in this region to evaluate the body burden of Beta-HCH and to identify the determinants of the human contamination.METHODS:
We defined four residential areas by their distance from the chemical plant and the river, and selected a stratified random sample of 626 people aged 25-64 years. We evaluated the association, in terms of the geometric mean ratio (GMR), between several potential determinants and Beta-HCH serum concentrations using multivariate linear regression analysis.RESULTS:
Two hundred forty-six serum samples were analysed to assess Beta-HCH levels (mean concentration 99 ng/g lipid; Standard Deviation 121; Geometric Mean 60.6; Geometric Standard Deviation 2.65). We found a strong association between Beta-HCH and living in the area close to the river (GMR 2.00; 95%CI 1.36-2.94). Beta-HCH levels were also associated with age, level of education, use of private wells and consumption of local food.CONCLUSIONS:
The results suggest that people living close to the river may have been contaminated by Beta-HCH, most likely through water from private wells and privately grown food. A programme of epidemiological and clinical surveillance is on-going on this population.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Hexaclorocicloexano
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Exposição Ambiental
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Poluentes Ambientais
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Inseticidas
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article