Vitellogenin in tilapia male fishes exposed to organochlorine pesticides in Ouémé River in Republic of Benin.

In many African countries, the economy largely depends on agriculture. Pesticides are therefore likely to represent an important source of xenoestrogens in contaminated rivers and lagoons. The largely uncontrolled use of diverse pesticides led us to hypothesize that these agents, and particularly organochlorine compounds, may pose a serious problem in the Republic of Benin.