The contamination of ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCPs) from the selected rivers in Okinawa Island was investigated to estimate the current status of pollution in water, plants and surface sediments in these rivers. The Aja River, Asato River, Houtoku River, Kokuba River and Okukubi River were selected for this study. The concentration of the total PESTICIDES were in the range of 0.94-231.8 ng/L in river water, 0.006-191.6 ng/L dry weight in river sediments and 0.001-55.8 ng/L dry weight in plants. Among the OCPs, ΣHCB of α-BHC,β-BHC and Aldrin were the common detected compounds in river water. The α-BHC, Aldrin and Dieldrin were the most frequent detected compounds in river sediments and α-BHC and Dieldrin were the common OCPs detected in plants. Aldrin, Dieldrin and ΣHCB were in abundance. Various contamination patterns between the selected river water, sediments and plants were observed. Aja River, Asato River and Houtoku River were contaminated with α,β,δ,γ- BHC,  Aldrin and Dieldrin (water and sediments) whereas the main OCPs in Kokuba River and Okukubi River were Dieldrin (plants) The OCPs levels in all rivers were generally below guideline values in Japan, but some sites displayed levels which exceeded the EC and WHO Standards for Aldrin, Dieldrin and α, β-BHC.

Concentrations of ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (Lindane, Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endosulfan, DDT and DDE) residues in beef samples from the Kumasi and Buoho abattoirs in Ghana were determined using gas chromatography. ORGANOCHLORINE residues were found in all the samples. The average concentration of lindane in beef fat samples from Kumasi was 4.03  mg/kg and 1.79 mg/kg in beef fat from Buoho. The average levels of lindane were 2.07 mg/kg for lean meat samples from Kumasi abattoir and 0.60 mg/kg in lean meat samples from Buoho. Endosulfan concentration in meat samples from Buoho was 2.28 mg/kg in the fat and 0.59 mg/kg in the lean beef. 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(pdichlorodiphenyl) ethylene (DDE) recorded mean concentrations of 118.45 mg/kg in beef fat and 42.93 mg/kg in lean beef samples from Kumasi abattoir. Beef samples from Buoho had DDE concentration of 31.89 mg/kg in the fat and 5.86 mg/ kg in the lean beef. 1, 1, 1-trichloro-2, 2-bis-(4'-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) recorded an average concentration of 545.22 mg/kg in beef fat and 18.85 mg/kg in lean beef samples from Kumasi abattoir. The average concentration of DDT in beef fat from Buoho was 403.82mg/kg but lean meat samples from the same sampling site recorded mean concentration of 10.82 mg/kg for DDT. Although, most of the ORGANOCHLORINE residues detected were below the maximum limits set by the FAO/WHO, bioaccumulation of these residues is likely to pose health problems in higher organisms like human beings.

Background: The ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCPs) are among the most commonly used in water streams around the world. Most of these contaminants are highly hydrophobic and persist in sediments of rivers and lakes. Studies have suggested that OCPs may affect the normal function of the human and wildlife endocrine systems.Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the concentrations of selected ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES residues [OP’DDT, PP’DDT, alderin, dieldrin, heptachlor, (a,b,g,d) HCH, (a, b) endosulfan and metoxychlor] in samples from Karun River water at Khuzestan province in Iran, by GC-m-ECD.Materials and Methods: Water was extracted with n-hexane and then purified by passing through a glass column packed with Florisil and Na2SO4, which was then eluted with ether: hexane solution v/v.Results: In general, all of 12 investigated ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCPs) were detected. Regardless of the kind of OCPs, the highest OCP pollution level in Karun River were seen from August to November 2009 ranging 71.43 – 89.34 mg/L, and the lowest were seen from Dec 2010 to March 2011 at levels of 22.25-22.64 mg/L. The highest and lowest mean concentrations of 12 investigated PESTICIDES were b-Endosulfan and pp’ DDT with 28.51and 0.01 mg/L respectively.Conclusions: Comparison of total ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES residues concentration with WHO guidelines revealed that the Karun River had total OCPs residues above the probable effect level (0.2-20 mg/L, P<0.05), which could pose a risk to aquatic life.

Background: The presence of ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES in the environment is a serious threat to human health and requires continuous monitoring. Therefore, in the present systematic review, the residual amount of different ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES in human samples has been investigated.Methods: All accessible databases in English and Farsi were searched by using ORGANOCHLORINE and related PESTICIDES keywords in Farsi databases including SID, Iranmedex, magiran and Medlib and English databases including PubMed and Google Scholar. All articles which had evaluated one of the ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES were included. Data including the research data, sample size, location, biologic sample, pesticide type and the amount of ORGANOCHLORINE pesticide measured were extracted.Results: A total of 17 documented cases were extracted from 10 primary studies in which mean residual ORGANOCHLORINE pepticides in human had been determined. The studied samples were 5 samples of pregnant women's hair, 10 samples of maternal milk, and 2 samples of fat tissue. The residual amount of DDT and its isomers, BHC and its isomers, HCH and its isomers, HCB, Heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin and Lindane were recorded for the studied samples.Conclusion: This review showed that human exposure to ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES has been significant in Iran.

Background: Alterations in the methylation levels of tumor suppressor genes are considered as one of the essential aspects of malignancies. The present study explored the association of O6-methylguanineDNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter methylation, as a tumor suppressor, with some ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCPs) in primary brain tumor (PBT) patients. Methods: The present study was conducted on a total of 73 PBT patients. The patients’ serum was analyzed using gas chromatography for seven OCP derivatives. The methylation-specific PCR (MSP) method was also used to determine the methylation status of the MGMT promoter. Results: The current findings demonstrated that the methylation of MGMT promoter occurred in 22 out of 34 glioma cases (64%), but in only one out of 35 meningioma cases. No MGMT promoter methylation was observed in other PBT, hemangioma, and anaplastic medulloblastoma stages. Besides, there were significant associations between MGMT methylation and γ-HCH (odds ratio [OR]: 1. 50; 95% CI: 1. 03-2. 40, P = 0. 04), 4, 4DDE (OR: 1. 44; 95% CI: 1. 01-2. 05, P = 0. 02), 2, 4 DDT (OR: 1. 23; CI: 1. 04-1. 45, P = 0. 03), and 4, 4DDT (OR: 1. 46; CI: 1. 23-2. 15, P = 0. 02) in glioma patients. Conclusion: The results of the study suggested that the hypermethylation of the MGMT promoter in glioma patients is associated with increased OCPs in their serum, especially γ-HCH, 4, 4DDE, 2, 4DDT, and 4, 4DDT. Moreover, it may lead to the hypermethylation of the MGMT promoter gene. Hence, it can be concluded that exposure to OCPs may potentially induce glioma.

Passive air sampling was performed for urban, suburban, coastal, and agriculture air during April 2009–January 2010 in Tamilnadu, southern India, to know the distribution and fate of ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES (OCPs) residues. Exposed polyurethane foam samples (30 ± 2 days) were soxhlet extracted, and the extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometric method. The total concentrations of 13 OCPs were in the range of not detected (ND)-41,400 pg/m3. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, heptachlor, and mirex were found predominant during monsoon season. The elevated a/ g isomer ratio of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) (5.03) during summer revealed fresh/recent usage of HCH in coastal area. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ratio shows its fresh application in all the locations during monsoon season, which probably used to contain the diseases causing vectors. Detection of banned PESTICIDES, such as aldrin, dieldrin, and heptachlor in air, indicating their illegal usage/or from old source. Furthermore, mirex, an unregistered pesticide in India, is being reported for the first time in air. More importantly, the obtained information will be used as a valuable baseline data for the management of atmospheric OCPs in future.

ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES are very important, due to their carcinogenic and delayed toxic function and their effect on nervous system of fish and human. In this study concentration of ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES including Lindane, Heptachlor, Dieldrin, Aldrin and DDT was measured in muscle tissues of stellate sturgeon of southern coasts of the Caspian Sea from Astara, Hashtpar, Bandare Anzali, Kiashahr, Ramsar, Chalous, Noor, Feraidoun Kenar, Khazarabade Sari and Bandare Turkman stations. In sampled stellate sturgeon, Heptachlor with an average concentration of 3.933 mg/kg on lipid weigth basis and Aldrin with an average concentration of <0.288 mg/kg on lipid weigth basis had the highest and lowest concentrations, respectively. The order of these PESTICIDES according to average of concentration are as follow: Heptachlor > DDT > Lindane > Dilderin > Aldrin. Comparison of measured concentrations with Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) established by FAO/WHO showed that the average concentration of Heptachlor in all sampling stations exceeded the MRL value, also concentration of DDT in samples from Chalous and Bandare Turkman exceeded the MRL value.