Storage of chlorinated pesticides in human organs and tissues in Ferrara Province, Italy.

Residues of organochlorine compounds in human fat, liver, brain, kidney, and spleen were determined by gas chromatography. All the samples were obtained from residents of Ferrara Province, Italy, of both sexes and of ages ranging from 1 to 80 years who had no special exposure to insecticides. The following compounds were found: p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT, HEOD, and heptachlor epoxide. DDT and its derivatives was found more frequently and at higher concentrations than the other compounds; the average weighted percentage ratio of DDE (as DDT) to total equivalent DDT in fat was 73.7%. The concentrations of residues in nonfatty tissues were considerably lower than in fatty tissue; in liver, and to a smaller extent in kidney, the average concentrations were higher than in other organs (brain and spleen). From comparisons of these results with those from other countries it appears that higher levels of chlorinated compounds are generally present in the Ferrara population.