Organochlorine in the serum of inhabitants living near an electrochemical factory.

Abstract

Objectives-To measure the impact of occupational and lifestyle factors on concentrations of organochlorine compounds in a general population sample living near an electrochemical factory with a high airborne concentration of hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Methods-Serum samples from 608 people (328 selected from a random sample) were collected in 1994. Information on lifestyles, occupation, and medical condition was obtained by questionnaire. Results-HCB and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected in all samples (means 36.7 ng/ml and 4.3 ng/ml respectively), followed by dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane (DDE) and -hexachlorocyclohexane ( -HCH), found in 98.7% and 87.3% of the samples respectively (means 4.6 ng/ml and 2.5 ng/ml, respectively). Concentrations of HCB were the highest ever reported. Occupation in the factory was the main determinant of the variation in concentrations of HCB (regression coeYcients 1.52 (SEM 0.14) in ln (HCB) for workers in the production department, and 2.13 (0.23) for workers in maintenance department) and explained the highest concentrations of HCB found in men of middle age. In retired workers, concentrations of HCB declined with time since retirement. The PCBs, dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), and -HCH were independent of the occupation and concentrations were similar to those found in other populations. Concentrations of -HCH and DDE in the whole population, and HCB among non-workers, were higher in women than in men. Concentrations of all measured organochlorine compounds increased with age and body mass index. Consumption of locally caught fish was an independent determinant of HCB and PCB concentrations.Conclusions-This population incorporated HCB directly through occupation in the electrochemical factory, by airborne pollution, and consumption of locally caught fish. Concentrations of other common organochlorine compounds were not higher than expected. Environmental exposures to these compounds deserve attention due to their persistence and potential health eVects. (Occup Environ Med 1999;56:152-158)

Serum concentrations of hexachlorobenzene in family members of workers in an electrochemical factory

“…The increase found represents around 25% of the average concentration in this general population of Flix, but in absolute terms it is a greater quantity than the mean of the HCB concentrations found in other general populations studied (12)(13)(14). As has been reported elsewhere (9), the serum HCB concentrations of this population, even of nonworkers, were the highest ever described. This fact may reflect inadequacies in the working processes of the factory.…”

“…A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to model HCB serum for the nonworkers. On the basis of previous results on the determinants of HCB exposure in this population (9), the variables taken into account included gender, age (in years plus 2 dummy variables: >64 and <26 years), body mass index (in kilograms per square meter), loss of weight in the last 12 months (yes or no), consumption of fish caught in the local river (yes or no), residence (living closer than 1500 Results Table 1 shows the mean age and the crude distribution of the HCB concentrations in the serum of the studied population. Among the people not working in the factory the concentrations were higher in the women than in the men.…”

Determinants of serum polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides measured in women from the child health and development study cohort, 1963-1967.

“…A mid-1990s study of breast milk in Germany (59) similarly found a negative relationship of BMI with lipid-adjusted PCBs but not with pesticides. However, a study of residents near a factory that had produced PCBs and DDT in the past found a positive association with PCBs and pesticides after adjustment for weight loss but not lipids (60). A study of Great Lakes fish consumers also observed a positive association between total coplanar lipidadjusted PCB levels and BMI (61).…”

Plasma organochlorine levels and prostate cancer risk

“…A priori, we decided to exclude from the statistical analysis chemicals with nondetectable levels in more than 30% of the patients. For the chemicals included in the analysis, patients with nondetectable levels were assigned half the value of the detection limit, which is a method used in earlier studies and by other laboratories (Haldane, 1955;Sala et al, 1999;Baris et al, 2000). These patients were always in the baseline (first tertile) group for the analysis.…”