Epidemiological findings and evaluation of the amount of organochlorine pesticides in human blood plasma in Japan

Abstract

Epidemiological and experimental studies were carried out in order to evaluate the significance of the amount of organochlorine pesticides in biological specimens. The amount ofβ-BHC, DDT and DDE was determined and compared in human plasma samples taken from several different socio-economic groups. The residue pesticides thus determined reflected the difference in the amount of pesticides used for agricultural purposes in respective areas. The highest value ofβ-BHC was found among the people of some groups who had taken more fat-rich animal proteins than the people in other groups. It was also noteworthy that the amount ofβ-BHC has decreased in the females in the population who have experienced pregnancy more than one time. The animal experiment also showed the effect of pregnancy on the elimination or decomposition of the pesticides in the biological milieu.