Toxaphenes and chlorinated naphthalenes in adipose tissue of children.

Background: Chlorinated hydrocarbons are ingested by humans in food and accumulate in adipose tissue. At the University Kinderklinik, Mannheim, previously unknown substances have been found in children (e.g., the pesticide toxaphene and chlorinated naphthalenes). These substances have been widely used for industrial purposes in the past. Samples from West and East Germany; Saratov, Russia; and Almaty, Kazakhstan were examined to determine whether these substances are ubiquitous.

Methods: After Soxhlet extraction, the extracts were cleaned up using a liquid chromatographic technique. Measurement was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization in the single-ion-monitoring mode.

Result: In specimens from all cities, toxaphene congeners Parlar 26 and Parlar 50 and six chlorinated naphthalenes were traced. Highest median load of toxaphene was 1.97 microg/kg for Parlar 26 and 2.36 microg/kg for Parlar 50 in Stralsund, East Germany. For chlorinated naphthalenes, the median was highest in Mannheim, West Germany, with 12.0 microg/kg.

Conclusion: These findings show that monitoring these toxic substances remains necessary. Even though the use and as a consequence the amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons were reduced, these substances have by no means disappeared from the environment.