Organochlorine pesticide residues in human adipose tissue in Mexico: results of a preliminary study in three Mexican cities.

The results of a preliminary search to determine the levels of organochlorine pesticide residues in the adipose tissue of the inhabitants of three Mexican cities of different socioeconomic characteristics are described herein. The concentrations and percent occurrence of nine compounds found are reported. In general, the samples analyzed had a large number of different organochlorine residues per sample. The results indicate that the inhabitants have been heavily exposed to 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chloro-phenyl) ethane (DDT), and to a lesser degree, to 1,2,3,4,5,6,-hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC). The mean concentration of 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDE) in one of the groups (18.36 ppm lipid basis) was one of the highest reported in the literature. It is also noteworthy that DDT was found in only 63, 89, and 55% of the samples from the three cities.