abstract
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an organochlorine insecticide that has been used for indoor residual spraying for the control of mosquito-borne diseases including malaria. However, due to its toxicity and environmental persistence, there are concerns about its potential deleterious effects in humans and wildlife. Therefore, the current study aimed to monitor and estimate the level of DDTs in human communities. The accumulation of DDT and its metabolites was evaluated in house rat (as sentinel) livers collected in an area where DDT was sprayed. DDTs were measured using a gas chromatography / Electron Capture Detector. The results revealed high concentrations of DDTs in the rat livers and the levels of DDTs were similar to findings reported from the same area in 2014.
keywords
PRENATAL EXPOSURE; CONTAMINATION
subject category
Veterinary Sciences
authors
Motohira, K; Ikenaka, Y; Yohannes, YB; Nakayama, SMM; Wepener, V; Smit, NJ; Van Vuren, JHJ; Sousa, AC; Enuneku, AA; Ogbomida, ET; Ishizuka, M
our authors
Ana Catarina Almeida Sousa
Collaboratoracknowledgements
The current study was financially supported by Grants-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (No. 17K20038, No. 18K1984708) and Scientific Research (A) (No. 16H01779, 18H0413208) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and partly supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (MEXT). We also gratefully acknowledge our contacts in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, without whom it would not have been possible to collect samples. In particular, we would like to thank Samwel Menyuka and Nelson Nkwanyana for guidance and interpretation, and Dr. Ntantiso at the Jozini Agriculture Office. From the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department, Bruce Margot, Bheki Owabe, Phineas Zikhali, and various other guides at the health camps facilitated the current study extensively. Laboratory assistance given by Takahiro Ichise in Hokkaido University is appreciated. The contribution number from the NWU-Water Research Group is #349 of the NWU_WRG.