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The pampas of South America represent one of the most productive lands for agriculture in the world, and consequently this activity has expanded throughout the region, especially in Argentina. In this context, native fauna faces various risks associated with agriculture, with exposure to pesticides being one of the most dangerous and deadly. Assessing the impact of pesticides on wildlife becomes fundamental and the use of sentinel species emerges as an important tool to monitor environmental health. In this study, we determined pesticide levels in the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia nesting in both rural and urban areas of the argentinean pampas. We used a multiple scale approach to evaluate the influence of land-uses (urban, crops, and grazing fields) at the nesting site on the contaminant load of A. cunicularia individuals, and assessed the potential use of this owl as a sentinel species. From March 2018 to January 2020, A. cunicularia feathers were collected at their nest sites in one urban and two rural areas. These samples were analyzed for the presence of contaminants, including chlorpyrifos and 18 organochlorine pesticides. All the compounds analyzed were detected in A. cunicularia samples. The chlorpyrifos showed the highest frequency of occurrence and concentration, thus denoting the exposure of owls to current-use pesticides. ∑DDTs showed the highest occurrence among organochlorines, followed by ∑HCHs > ∑Endosulfans > ∑Heptachlors > ∑Drins = ∑Chlordanes > methoxychlor. Principal Component Analysis showed that most of the compounds found in A. cunicularia samples showed a positive association with grazing fields, suggesting that exposure to contaminants does not depend on specific habitat use at the local scale, but probably the regional scale. Our results evidenced the exposure of A. cunicularia individuals to past and current-use pesticides in the pampas of Argentina, and indicate that this owl would be useful as a sentinel species.

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Large quantities of chlordecone-based insecticides were produced and used throughout the world. One of its most important uses was to control the damage caused by Cosmopolites sordidus in banana-growing regions. In the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, 18,000 ha of farmland are potentially contaminated. Despite the key role played by soil macrofauna in agroecosystems, there are currently no data on their contamination. The aim of this study was to explore the fate of chlordecone (CLD) and its transfer to different organisms of the soil food web. Seven species of invertebrates representing different taxonomic groups and trophic levels of the soil communities of Martinique were targeted and collected in six experimental banana fields, with a level of contamination within a range of values classically observed. Soil samples and macrofauna from the study sites were analysed for CLD and chlordecol (CLDOH) its main transformation product. The contamination of the soil fauna were related to δ15N (trophic level), proportion of soil ingestion (diet) and types of epidermis (mucus or exoskeleton) in order to study the different mechanisms of macrofauna contamination. Presence of CLD and CLDOH could be quantified in all the soil organisms from contaminated fields. Results showed a significant relationship between the CLD contamination of detritivorous and the ash content of their faeces, suggesting that soil ingestion was the main contamination pathway. In contrast, the exoskeleton-bearing diplopod Trigoniulus coralinus and the soft-bodied earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae, both detritivores with a comparable diet, had similar contamination levels, suggesting that the type of tegument has little influence on bioaccumulation. At the scale of the entire trophic network, a significant relationship was uncovered between δ15N values and CLD contamination of the fauna, therefore providing some in situ evidence for a bioamplification process along the soil food chain.

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Maternal and prenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCP), arsenic (As), and fluoride (F-) is a critical public health concern. The present study assessed serum OCP residues and urinary As and F- levels in mother and newborn pairs who are residents of rural areas of Durango State, Mexico, from August 2018 to February 2019. Levels of OCP, As, and F- were measured in serum and urine samples by Gas chromatography - Tandem mass spectrometry (GC - MS/MS), Hydride generation - Atomic fluorescent spectrometry (HG-AFS, and ion-selective electron analysis (ISE), respectively, in 60 binomial mothers - newborns. Dieldrin, endrin aldehyde, and endosulfan-II were significantly higher in newborns than in mothers (p ˂0.05). Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed for As and F- concentrations between mother - newborn pairs. Differences were observed in ∑Dienes and ∑DDTs comparing newborns with normal and low birth weights and a positive relationship in Æ©Dienes, Æ©Chlordanes, and Æ©DDTs between mother and newborn pairs (p ˂ 0.05). These findings highlight the importance of extensive research regarding the influence of pollution.

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Epidemiological studies on associations between breast cancer (BC) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are inconclusive. The majority of studies have evaluated the effect of single compounds without considering multiple OCP exposures and immunophenotypes of BC. We aimed to evaluate the association between BC immunophenotypes and serum OCP mixtures, and identify the main contributors within mixtures. We included 767 histopathologically confirmed incident BC cases and 908 controls from a population-based case-control study conducted from 2007 to 2011 in Northern Mexico. We obtained direct information about sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. We collected data from clinical records about hormonal receptors (HR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions. Immunophenotypes were determined as HR+/HER2-, HER2+ or HR-/HER2-. We quantified OCP and metabolites by gas chromatography using an electron capture micro detector. We used Weighted Quantile Sum regression to assess the association of BC and exposure to multiple OCP, and their contribution within the mixture. We found a positive adjusted association between BC and an OCP mixture (OR: 3.48, 95%CI: 2.58, 4.69), whose primary contribution arose from the isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane and endosulfan, as well as endosulfan sulfate. We also identified a mixture negatively associated (OR: 0.13, 95%CI: 0.08, 0.20), characterized by p,p'-DDT and chlordane metabolites. All these associations remained regardless BC immunophenotypes. This is the first epidemiological report that identified serum OCP mixtures associated with BC immunophenotypes. Due to OCP ubiquity, biomagnification, and continuous exposure, they constitute a global problem of persistent exposure that might be related to BC risk.

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Among the numerous organochlorines (OCs) applied in the French West Indies (FWI), chlordecone (hydrated form C10Cl10O2H2; CLD) still causes major environmental pollution nowadays. A recent report revealed the unexpected presence in FWI environment of transformation products (TPs) of CLD not routinely monitored due to a lack of commercial standards. Here, we present a method for surface waters and groundwaters to analyze CLD, its main TPs (hydroCLDs, chlordecol (CLDOH), 10-monohydroCLDOH and polychloroindenes) and other OCs. We developed an SPME-GC-SIM/MS method with a PDMS-DVB fiber. Since CLDOH-d commonly used as internal standard (IS) proved unsuitable, we synthesized several IS candidates, and finally identified 10-monohydro-5-methyl-chlordecol as a satisfactory IS for CLDOH and 10-monohydroCLDOH avoiding the use of 13C-labelled analogue. LODs for CLD and its TPs varied from 0.3 to 10 ng/L, equal to or below LODs of the two laboratories, BRGM (the French geological survey) and LDA26 (one of the French Departmental Analytical Laboratories), requested in FWI pollution monitoring that used liquid-liquid extractions and advanced facilities (LLE-GC-MS/MS and LLE-LC-MS/MS methods, respectively). Then, we extended the multi-residue method to 30 OCs (CLD and its TPs, mirex, ß-HCH, lindane, dieldrin, aldrin, HCB, hexachlorobutadiene, TCE, PCE) and applied it to 30 surface and ground waters from FWI. While CLD, 8- and 10-monohydroCLD, CLDOH, 10-monohydroCLDOH, dieldrin, and ß-HCH were detected and quantified, pentachloroindene, another CLD TP, was sporadically found in trace levels. A comparison with BRGM and LDA26 confirmed the interest of the SPME method. Results suggested an underestimation of CLDOH and an overestimation of high CLD concentrations with one of the currently used routine protocol. In light of these findings, previous temporal monitoring of environmental waters in FWI were re-examined and revealed some atypical values, which may indeed be due to analytical bias. These discrepancies call for intensified efforts to reliably quantify CLD and its TPs.

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This study assessed the effects of pollutants on Magallana gigas along a coastal zone with different levels of human activity: a highly impacted zone in the Bahía Blanca Estuary and a less impacted zone on the adjacent sandy beaches. Oysters collected in 2021 were analyzed for various factors, including metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides, microplastics, oxidative stress and histology. Oysters of both environments exhibited detectable concentrations of all these pollutants in their tissues. However, the estuarine oysters showed higher concentrations of Zn, Cu and As and total PAHs than the beach oysters. Banned organochlorine pesticides were detected only in beach oysters. Estuarine oysters displayed morphological changes in their digestive gland including a reduction in the mean epithelial thickness of the tubule and elevated lipid peroxidation levels, indicating cellular damage. This study underscores the widespread presence of pollutants in M. gigas, indicating the need for effective strategies to safeguard coastal ecosystem health.

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BACKGROUND: Very recently, it has been reported that exposure to different mixtures of organochlorine pesticides (OCP) is associated with the development of diabetes mellitus (DM). In Mexico, DM is a public health problem that might be related to the historical intense use of OCP. We aimed to evaluate, the association between DM and serum concentrations of OCP mixtures, and identify the main contributors within them. METHODS: We conducted a secondary cross-sectional analysis on the control group from a breast cancer population-based case-control study conducted from 2007 to 2011 in Northern Mexico. We identified 214 self-reported diabetic women and 694 non-diabetics. We obtained direct information about sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. We determined 24 OCP and metabolites in serum by gas chromatography using an electron capture micro detector. We used Weighted Quantile Sum regression to assess the association of DM and exposure to multiple OCP, and the contribution of each compound within the mixture. RESULTS: We found a positive adjusted association between DM and an OCP mixture (OR: 2.63, 95%CI: 1.85, 3.74), whose primary contribution arose from p, p'-DDE (mean weight 23.3%), HCB (mean weight 17.3%), trans nonachlor (mean weight 15.4%), o, p'-DDE (mean weight 7.3%), heptachlor epoxide (mean weight 5.9%), oxychlordane (mean weight 4.7%), and heptachlor (mean weight 4.5%). In addition, these OCP along with p, p'-DDT and cis chlordane, were of concern and remained associated when excluding hypertensive women from the analysis (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.56, 4.18). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate, for the first time in a Latin-American population, that the concomitant exposure to multiple OCP is associated with DM. Further research is needed since the composition of OCP mixtures may vary according to regional pesticides use patterns.

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This study aimed to estimate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk as well as the attributable cases due to exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs): hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorophenyltrichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor, and chlordane. From serum concentrations of pesticides of interest in a sample of 908 women from Northern Mexico, the risk for both cancer and non-cancer health effects was evaluated. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was also calculated based on summary association estimates between exposure to OCPs and different health events. Findings revealed that due to their OCP exposure slightly less than half of the women in the sample were at increased risk of developing non-cancerous diseases. Moreover, approximately 25% and 75% of participants were at risk of develop some type of cancer associated with their HCB and DDE concentrations, respectively. In addition, it was estimated that 40.5% of type 2 diabetes, 18.7% of endometriosis, and 23.1% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases could have been prevented if women had not been exposed to these OCPs. Results suggest that the use of OCPs may have contributed to the disease burden in the study area and, based on the time required for these substances to be eliminated from the body, there are probably some women who are still at elevated risk of developing diseases associated to OCPs.

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23 livers of South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) found stranded in southern Brazilian beaches were evaluated for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). POPs (DDTs, mirex, eldrin, dieldrin, aldrin, isodrin, HCHs, chlordanes and PCBs) and PAHs in livers were Soxhlet extracted, analyzed and quantified using Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-TQMS). The main POPs found were PCBs and DDTs, totaling 81 %. Among pesticides, mirex followed DDTs, possibly due to usage in Uruguay, followed by Σdrins, ΣCHLs and ΣHCHs. Naphthalene was the major PAH found, while heavier compounds did not significantly bioaccumulate. Concentrations of POPs resembled previous findings for A. australis. Considering only juveniles, no POPs showed significant differences between sexes. Lipidic content, weight and length did not show any correlation with POP concentration. This was the first record of PAHs and PBDEs in South American fur seals, and the levels of these pollutants were relatively low.

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Despite their high persistence in the environment, organochlorines (OC) are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, in plastics, and in the manufacture of pesticides, among other applications. These compounds and the byproducts of their decomposition deserve attention and efficient proposals for their treatment. Among sustainable alternatives, the use of ligninolytic enzymes (LEs) from fungi stands out, as these molecules can catalyze the transformation of a wide range of pollutants. Among LEs, laccases (Lac) are known for their efficiency as biocatalysts in the conversion of organic pollutants. Their application in biotechnological processes is possible, but the enzymes are often unstable and difficult to recover after use, driving up costs. Immobilization of enzymes on a matrix (support or solid carrier) allows recovery and stabilization of this catalytic capacity. Agricultural residual biomass is a passive environmental asset. Although underestimated and still treated as an undesirable component, residual biomass can be used as a low-cost adsorbent and as a support for the immobilization of enzymes. In this review, the adsorption capacity and immobilization of fungal Lac on supports made from residual biomass, including compounds such as biochar, for the removal of OC compounds are analyzed and compared with the use of synthetic supports. A qualitative and quantitative comparison of the reported results was made. In this context, the use of peanut shells is highlighted in view of the increasing peanut production worldwide. The linkage of methods with circular economy approaches that can be applied in practice is discussed.

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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are compounds that are recalcitrant and ubiquitous that bioaccumulate in human milk (HM) and can impact infant growth and development. We explore the association between POP concentration in HM at 2-50 days postpartum and infant growth and development trajectory throughout the first year of life. A cohort of 68 healthy adult Brazilian women and their infants were followed from 28 to 35 gestational weeks to 12 months postpartum. HM samples were collected between 2 and 50 days postpartum, and POP concentrations were analyzed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Concentrations of POPs >limit of quantification (LOQ) were defined as presence, and concentrations ≤LOQ as an absence. Growth z-scores were analyzed according to WHO growth charts and infant development scores according to Age & Stages Questionnaires at 1 (n = 66), 6 (n = 50), and 12 months (n = 45). Linear mixed effects (LME) models were used to investigate the association of POPs in HM with infant growth and development. Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) correction for multiple testing was performed to reduce the false discovery ratio. P < 0.1 was considered for models with the interaction between POPs and time/sex. After BH correction, adjusted LME models with time interaction showed (1) a positive association between the presence of ß hexachlorocyclohexane and an increase in head circumference-for-age z-score (ß = 0.003, P = 0.095); (2) negative associations between total POPs (ß = -0.000002, P = 0.10), total organochlorine pesticides (ß = -0.000002, P = 0.10), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene concentrations in HM (ß = -0.000002, P = 0.10) and fine motor scores. No statistical difference between the sexes was observed. Postnatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides in HM shows a positive association with the trajectory of head circumference-for-age z-score and a negative association with the trajectories of fine motor skills scores. Future studies on POP variation in HM at different postpartum times and their effect on infant growth and development should be encouraged.

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Pollinators such as Apidae bees are vital for ecosystems and food security. Unfortunately, their populations have declined due to several factors including pesticide use. Among them, the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, poses a global threat, while legacy compounds like organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) easily bioaccumulate, increasing the concern. Bombus pauloensis, a widely distributed native bee in Argentina, is used for commercial pollination; however, information regarding their health status is scarce. This study assessed chlorpyrifos and OCP levels in B. pauloensis (workers and males) and related environmental matrices living from three different land uses schemes, by means of GC-ECD and GC-MS. The ornamental horticulture field (OP) showed the highest total pesticide concentrations in workers (13.1 ng/g), flowers and soils, whereas the organic agriculture field (OA) exhibited the lowest. Chlorpyrifos was the most abundant compound, accounting for at least 20 % of pesticide load across all matrices. The food production horticulture field (FH) had the highest chlorpyrifos concentration in workers, males and soils (5.0, 4.4 and 3.3 ng/g, respectively), suggesting a local greater usage, whereas OA showed the lowest. Regarding OCPs groups, Drins and DDTs were predominant in most matrices, with FH males registering the highest levels (4.0 and 2.5 ng/g, respectively), closely followed by OP. However, metabolites' contribution indicated historical use and atmospheric inputs in all sites. Multivariate analyses confirmed the significance of site and bumblebee sex to explain pesticide composition. Males from all sites exhibited higher chlorpyrifos levels than workers and this trend was similar for some OCP groups. Overall, OA differed from FH and OP, indicating a correlation between production modes and pesticide profiles. This study demonstrates the value of B. pauloensis as a pesticide biomonitor but also offers insights into its populations' health in the area. In this sense, this information could be useful towards the preservation of this crucial pollinator.

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The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in marine sediments of a natural marine protected area (NMPA), Veracruz Reef System (VRS), in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). This NMPA represents one of the first coastal sites with port activity in Mexico, which causes a range of human activities that require adequate planning so as not to impact and destroy this marine protected area; In this sense, this work represents the first effort aimed at diagnosing the presence of organochlorine contaminants in reef sediments from the mainland, both from the adjacent port area and from more distant regions with dominant agricultural activities that ultimately affect this NMPA. Content of organic matter (OM), carbonates and grain-size composition were determined to investigate their influence on compounds distribution in the sediment through multivariate analysis. The potential risk represented by organochlorines concentrations was evaluated taking as reference Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs). Levels of ∑PCBs, ∑DDTs, ∑HCHs and ∑Cyclodienes ranged from 11.59 to 29.79, < 0.01 to 34.11, 22.10 to 102.80, and 17.21-104.45 ng g-1 dry weight (DW), respectively. The statistical analysis revealed that the content of mud and organic matter were the parameters that might influence PCBs distribution in the sediment while OCPs could be influenced by sand and carbonate. The theoretical risk assessment estimated with the results obtained showed that concentrations of lindane, endrin, dieldrin and p,p'-DDT could have an adverse effect on the reef benthic community and continued monitoring is required. The data obtained on the organochlorine contaminants (OCs) considered in this work will contribute to support the strategies proposed by the Mexican federal government entity to continue with the conservation and surveillance of this NMPA and thereby guarantee the least impact derived mainly from port and related agricultural activities.

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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. They were produced in relatively large volumes in the last century and are now subject to long-term monitoring and regulated under the United Nations Stockholm Convention (SC) on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Though restricted, human exposure is still a concern and in some regions of the globe the information on the health risk is limited. Sixty breast milk samples from nursing mothers were collected between 2014 and 2015, residing in Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin, which are industrialized cities in Colombia. This is the first comprehensive study to determine the concentrations in breast milk of PBDEs (n = 7), PCBs (n = 29), and OCPs (n = 28) in Colombia. The detection frequency of POPs, including BDE-47, CB-138, CB-153, CB-156, and CB-180, as well as several OCPs such as chloroneb, aldrins, HCHs, DDTs, and heptachlor, was found to be 100% in all samples tested. The mean concentrations of the analyzed legacy POPs were ∑3DDTs (423 ng/g lw) > chloroneb (50.1 ng/g lw) > ∑2permetrins (17.5 ng/g lw) > ∑2aldrins (16.7 ng/g lw) > 29 PCBs (15.04 ng/g lw) > ∑2chlordanes (CHLs) (11.2 ng/g lw) ≈ ∑3endosulfans (11.1 ng/g lw) > ∑2heptachlors (2.43 ng/g lw) > 7PBDEs (2.1 ng/g lw) > ∑4HCHs (0.58 ng/g lw). The results of this study suggest that the concentrations of DDTs were present in breast milk samples from Colombia at levels comparable to those found in previous studies conducted in other countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and various Asian countries. The concentrations of PBDE and PCB congeners, as well as many pesticides, were found to be significantly correlated with each other. This suggests that these substances may have similar sources of exposure. The strength of the pair correlation among concentrations of POPs was assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients, which varied from r = 0.62 for the association between BDE-47 and CB-153, to a high correlation of 0.99 for the correlation between γ-Chlordane and heptachlor. This suggests that these POPs may share similar sources, such as diet. An exposure assessment model obtained by Monte Carlo simulation showed that infants were exposed to low concentrations of POPs with exception of p,p'-DDE and Aldrin, in which 25th, 50th and 95th percentiles were greater than the threshold reference values of non-carcinogenic effects suggested by US-EPA regulations while the 90th percentile of pg TEQ/Kg-bw/day for dl-PCBs was above of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, the health risk of infants exposed to OCPs and dl-PCBs should be exanimated continually through biomonitoring programs in the Colombian population.

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Intrauterine environment is the first chemical exposure scenario in life, through transplacental transfer. In this study, the aim was to determine concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and selected current use pesticides in the placentas of pregnant women from Argentina. Socio-demographic information, the mother's lifestyle and neonatal characteristics were also analysed and related to pesticides residue concentrations. Thus, 85 placentas were collected at birth, from an area of intensive fruit production for the international market, in Patagonia Argentina. Concentrations of 23 pesticides including, trifluralin (herbicide), the fungicides chlorothalonil and HCB, and the insecticides chlorpyrifos, HCHs, endosulfans, DDTs, chlordanes, heptachlors, drins and metoxichlor, were determined by GC-ECD and GC-MS. Results were first analysed all together and then grouped by their residential settings, in urban and rural groups. Total mean pesticide concentration was 582.6 ± 1034.4 ng/g lw, where DDTs (325.9 ± 950.3 ng/g lw) and chlorpyrifos (188.4 ± 365.4 ng/g lw) showed a high contribution. Pesticide levels found exceeded those reported in low, middle and high income countries from Europe, Asia and Africa. In general, pesticides concentrations were not associated with neonatal anthropometric parameters. When the results were analysed by residence place, significantly higher concentrations of total pesticides and chlorpyrifos (Mann Whitney test p = 0.0003 and p = 0.032, respectively) were observed in placentas collected from mothers living in rural settings compared to urban areas. Rural pregnant women presented the highest pesticide burden (5.9 µg), where DDTs and chlorpyrifos were the major constituents. These results suggested that all pregnant women are highly exposed to complex pesticide mixtures, including banned OCPs and the widely used chlorpyrifos. Based on the pesticide concentrations found, our results warn of possible health impacts from prenatal exposure through transplacental transfer. This is one of the first reports of both chlorpyrifos and chlorothalonil concentrations in placental tissue, and contributes to the knowledge of current pesticide exposure in Argentina.

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Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been intensively used without proper regulation and control in Latin America due to the prevalence of diseases and pests, thus posing potential risks to nontarget organisms. Initiatives for ecosystem preservation, such as to designate protected areas, may not be enough to avoid contamination by OCPs, considering that protected areas tend to be permeable to diffuse sources. Here, we investigate multi-level responses of the oyster Crassostrea virginica to OCPs in Laguna de Términos, a RAMSAR coastal lagoon in the southern Gulf of Mexico. For this aim, OCPs occurrence and concentrations in the water, sediment, and in oysters from 3 settlement banks were assessed. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic biochemical biomarkers were quantified in the oysters' mantle and digestive gland, and the human health risk due to oyster consumption was also evaluated. OCPs in water were below detection limits. Fourteen OCPs were detected in sediments (∑OCPs mean of 49 ngg-1) and 7 in oyster tissues (∑OCPs mean of 121 ngg-1). The occurrence of OCPs was related to the land uses along the watersheds of the rivers that drain into the lagoon. Biochemical responses were correlated with OCPs (∑HCH, ∑DDT, heptachlor and endosulfan) in sediment, and oyster tissues. OCPs in oyster tissues showed a strong association with pro-oxidant forces and oxidative stress responses (Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation), and neurotoxicity (Acetylcholinesterase), suggesting that the current OCPs contamination exerts significant stress. Our study also shows that the consumption of oysters from the lagoon increases the potential human health risk. Considering that Laguna de Términos is a protected Ramsar site, we suggest that environmental protection measures should be increased and that a monitoring program for OCPs exposure is necessary to assess the effects on this ecosystem.

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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are highly lipophilic and can accumulate and biomagnify in food chains. Characterized as a public health problem, exposure to these compounds enables the development of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. The objective of this study was to estimate the plasma levels of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in 151 samples (97 women; 54 men) in hospitalized individuals in Petropolis, Brazil. Individuals over 18 years of age and residing for at least 2 years in the mountainous region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, participated in a cross-sectional study. Interviews using a structured questionnaire and blood samples to estimate plasma levels of persistent organic pollutants provided data. Gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry provided the levels of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs. Compared to data present in the literature, the concentration of POPs was lower, and individuals from 55 to 64 years of age (3.28 ng mL-1) and women (2.52 ng mL-1) presented a higher average concentration of organochlorine pesticides; men (0.05 ng mL-1) also presented a high concentration of PCBs. This is the first Brazilian study to estimate the concentration of several POPs in a hospital-based sample that includes men and women, thus contributing to the characterization of our population regarding environmental exposures relevant to health.

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BACKGROUND: Chlordecone is a highly persistent organochlorine insecticide that was intensively used in banana fields in the French West Indies, resulting in a widespread contamination. Neurotoxicity of acute exposures in adults is well recognized, and empirical data suggests that prenatal exposure affects visual and fine motor developments during infancy and childhood, with greater susceptibility in boys. OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between pre- and postnatal exposures to chlordecone and cognitive and behavioral functions in school-aged children from Guadeloupe. METHODS: We examined 576 children from the TIMOUN mother-child cohort in Guadeloupe at 7 years of age. Concentrations of chlordecone and other environmental contaminants were measured in cord- and children's blood at age 7 years. Cognitive abilities of children were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (WISC-IV), and externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors documented with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by the child's mother. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations between cord- and 7-years chlordecone concentrations and child outcomes using structural equations modeling, and tested effect modification by sex. RESULTS: Geometric means of blood chlordecone concentrations were 0.13 µg/L in cord blood and 0.06 µg/L in children's blood at age 7 years. A twofold increase in cord blood concentrations was associated with 0.05 standard deviation (SD) (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.0, 0.10) higher internalizing problem scores, whereas 7-years chlordecone concentrations were associated with lower Full-Scale IQ scores (FSIQ) and greater externalized behavioral problem scores. A twofold increase in 7-year chlordecone concentrations was associated with a decrease of 0.67 point (95% CI: -1.13, -0.22) on FSIQ and an increase of 0.04 SD (95% CI: 0.0, 0.07) on externalizing problems. These associations with Cognitive abilities were driven by decreases in perceptive reasoning, working memory and verbal comprehension. Associations between 7-year exposure and perceptive reasoning, working memory, and the FSIQ were stronger in boys, whereas cord blood and child blood associations with internalizing problems were stronger in girls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggests that cognitive abilities and externalizing behavior problems at school age are impaired by childhood, but not in utero, exposure to chlordecone, and that prenatal exposure is related to greater internalizing behavioral problems.

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Environmental contaminants with chemical origins, such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have major impacts on the health of marine animals, including sea turtles, due to the bioaccumulation of those substances by transference throughout the food chain. The effects of environmental pollution on the health of marine turtles are very important for management strategies and conservation. During recent decades, the south Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula have suffered from increasingly frequent disturbances from continental landmasses, river systems, urban wastewater runoff, port areas, tourism, industrial activities, pesticides from agricultural use, and other pollutants, such as metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and hydrocarbons (from the oil industry activities), which contaminate water and sediments and worsen the environmental quality of the marine ecosystem in this region. In this study, we assessed the concentrations of OCPs in the blood and eggs of 60 hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting at the Punta Xen turtle camp, and their effects on the nesting population's reproductive performance: specifically, maternal transfer and embryonic development were analyzed. Hematologic characteristics, including packed cell volume, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, and haemoglobin levels, and plasma chemistry values, including creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol and glucose, were also measured. The general health of the turtles in this study, as well as their levels of urea, serum creatinine, glucose, uric, acid, cholesterol, and triglyceride, fell within normal ranges and was similar to other normal values, which could indicate the turtles' good energy levels and body conditions for nest-building activity, with all of the turtles able to successfully come ashore to nest. All the same, the obtained results also indicate that OCPs affect the nesting and reproductive performance of the hawksbill turtles, as well as their fertility and the development of the population of eggs and reproductive performance, specifically in terms of maternal transference and embryonic development. There were significant differences in the concentrations of OCPs (ΣHCHs and ΣDienes) between maternal blood and eggs, indicating that these chemicals are transferred from nesting females to eggs and, ultimately, to hatchlings. OCPs may, therefore, have an effect on the health and reproductive performance of hawksbill turtles, both in terms of their fertility and egg development. Conservation strategies need to be species-specific, due to differences in feeding, and address the reasons for any decline, focusing on regional assessments. Thus, accurate and comparable monitoring data are necessary, which requires the standardization of monitoring protocols.

RESUMO

The former Tekchem Industrial Unit located in the city of Salamanca, Mexico, constitutes an environmental liability in which the presence of high levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) has been reported. In the present study, levels of OCPs were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in 52 soil samples and in 88 blood samples from school-age children in the city of Salamanca. A median concentration of 70.6 ng/g (6.93-3299) was obtained for total OCPs in soil, while for the total sum of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) the value was 49.6 ng/g (6.93-3276). In children, the median level of the total sum of OCPs was 390 ng/g lipid (7.34-14,895), and for the total sum of DDT was 175 ng/g lipid (< LOD-14,802). The OCPs that resulted in highest concentrations in soil were DDT and its metabolites, as well as aldrin and heptachlor epoxide, while in blood the highest levels corresponded to 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4'-DDT) and its metabolites, followed by heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide. The spatial distribution of the concentrations of OCPs in soil shows that the facilities of Tekchem may be a significant potential source for the dispersion of these compounds toward the metropolitan area of Salamanca. The results obtained in the present study demonstrate the presence of OCPs in soil and in child population, providing important bases to study the problem from a broader perspective, while reiterating the importance of continuing efforts to generate resolute and precautionary measures with respect to the environmental liability of Tekchem.

Assuntos