[Level of organochlorine pesticides in serum of Beijing residents in 2017].

OBJECTIVE

To preliminarily investigate the exposure levels and distribution characteristics of organochlorine pesticides(OCPs) in serum of Beijing residents.

METHODS

A total of 197 serum samples were randomly selected from the baseline samples of the Beijing Population Health Cohort study collected in 2017. The concentrations of 11 OCPs, including α-hexachlorocyclohexane(α-HCH), β-hexachlorocyclohexane(β-HCH), γ-hexachlorocyclohexane(γ-HCH), p, p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene(p, p'-DDE), p, p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane(p, p'-DDD), p, p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane(P, P'-DDT), pentachlorobenzene(PCB), hexachlorobenzene(HCB), pentachlorophenol(PCP), pentachloronitrobenzene(PCNB), and dieldrin, were determined by solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The relationships among OCPs concentrations and gender, residence, age and body mass index(BMI) were assessed.

RESULTS

At least three OCPs were detected in each sample, with concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 50.700 μg/L. Ten out of the eleven OCPs were detected, excluding PCNB. The detection rates of five OCPs exceeded 50%, namely p, p'-DDE, β-HCH, HCB, PCP and PCB, with median concentrations of 3.768, 0.966, 0.762, 0.414 and 0.050 μg/L, respectively. The serum concentrations of β-HCH(Z=-4.32, P<0.01) and HCB(Z=-2.01, P=0.04) were significantly lower in males than in females, and urban residents showed significantly elevated serum levels of p, p'-DDE(Z=-3.38, P<0.01), β-HCH(Z=-3.04, P<0.01), PCP(Z=-2.04, P=0.04) and PCB(Z=-2.16, P=0.03) relative to suburban residents. BMI was positively correlated with serum β-HCH concentrations(r=0.21, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Widespread exposure of OCPs was observed in the serum of Beijing general residents in 2017. Gender, residence and BMI may serve as significant factors influencing serum OCP levels.