Current internal exposure to pesticides in children and adolescents in Germany: blood plasma levels of pentachlorophenol (PCP), lindane (gamma-HCH), and dichloro(diphenyl)ethylene (DDE), a biostable metabolite of dichloro(diphenyl)trichloroethane (DDT).

Pesticides are widely used throughout the world in agriculture to protect crops, and in public health to control diseases transmitted by animal vectors or intermediate hosts. After the prohibition of organochlorines such as DDT internal exposure of the general population to the organochlorines has been reduced markedly. Herein, current internal exposure of children and adolescents in an urban area in Germany to PCP, lindane, and DDT/E is reported. One hundred and thirty children and adolescents took part in this voluntary investigation. All of them stated they had never used pesticides in their homes or for medical reasons. Blood plasma was analysed for pentachlorophenol (PCP), lindane (gamma-HCH), and dichloro(diphenyl)ethylene (DDE), a biostable metabolite of dichloro(diphenyl)trichloroethane (DDT), using gas chromatography/electron capture detection according to well established methods approved by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Median (and 95th percentiles) in the age groups < 6, 6- < 12, and 12- < 18 years of age were (microgram/l): DDE: 0.75 (4.45), 0.95 (5.04), 0.89 (8.77); DDT: < 0.1 (0.22), < 0.1 (0.25), < 0.1 (0.30); PCP: 2.48 (17.32), 2.69 (5.85), 2.08 (8.04); lindane: < 0.1 (0.12, < 0.1 (0.08), < 0.1 (0.09). High levels of internal exposure to DDT in two girls were probably obtained during a holiday stay in India; high PCP-levels in two other girls were caused by a leather jacket impregnated with PCP, and a holiday abroad, respectively. Current background levels of internal exposure to organochlorine insecticides in children and adolescents in Germany are quantified. Exposure to these substances in the general population is thought to occur mainly via residues in food, which are low in general, today. In special cases, however, individual exposures may be dominated by other sources, i.e. impregnated leather clothes.