Health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides with emphasis on DDTs and HCHs in abandoned agricultural soils

Yu Bon Man, Ka Lai CHOW, Hong Sheng Wang, Ka Yan Lau, Xiao Lin Sun, Sheng Chun Wu, Kwai Chung Cheung, Shan Shan CHUNG, Ming Hung WONG*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequence of changing land use from agriculture land to other use purposes with respect to OCPs non-cancer and cancer risk on human health, based on concentrations of DDTs and HCHs in soils collected from 55 locations representing 12 different land use types. There were no non-cancer risks of DDTs and γ-HCHs on adults and children, and there were very low cancer risks of DDD, o,p′-DDE, DDT, α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH based on their total concentrations in all samples. Nonetheless, there were significant correlations of DDT to its metabolites (DDE and DDD) (r = 0.506 and r = 0.648) and DDE to DDD (r = 0.438) both at p < 0.01. OCP levels should be routinely monitored in different environmental media and food in order to verify whether there is fresh input. Their potential risks on human health should also be assessed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2250-2259
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Environmental Monitoring
Volume13
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2011

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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