Determination of organochlorine pesticides and metabolites in drinking water, human blood serum, and adipose tissue.

Previously published analytical procedures by which drinking water, human blood serum, and adipose tissue may be analyzed for trace amounts of organochlorine pesticides have been modified to permit use of smaller samples. Data on percent recovery, detector sensitivity, and limit of detectability have been collected for each of the three reported procedures. The methodology has been applied to 59 blood samples, 20 drinking water samples, and 10 necropsy adipose tissue samples. Only hexachlorobenzene and dieldrin were detected in water. Hexachlorobenzene, beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, dieldrin, p,p'DDE, and p,p'DDT were present in blood. No heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, trans-nonachlor, or o,p'-DDT was found. In.fat, the compounds present in blood plus oxychlordane, heptachlor epoxide, and trans-nonachlor were detected. No heptachlor, aldrin, o,p'-DDT, or alpha- or gamma-chlordane was present. The reported values are representative of the levels of persistent organochlorine pesticides and pesticide metabolites found in 1978 in white female residents of Dade County, Florida.