Assessment of DDT, DDE, and 1-hydroxypyrene levels in blood and urine samples in children from Chiapas Mexico

Purpose The aim of this study was assess co-exposure to DDT, DDE (main DDT metabolite), and PAHs (1-hydroxypyrene) in areas where biomass is used to cook and to heat homes and where DDT was used to combat malaria transmission. Methods During 2009, we analyzed a total of 190 blood and urine samples from children living in six communities in Mexico. Quantitative analyses of DDT and DDE were performed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Analyses of 1-hydroxypyrene were performed by HPLC using a fluorescence detector. Results In this work, we found high levels of DDT and its principal metabolite (DDE) in the blood of children living in four communities in Chiapas located in the southeastern region of Mexico (range,