Estimation of 1992-1993 dietary intake of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in Fukuoka, Japan.

To estimate Japanese daily intakes of organochlorine pesticides such as hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-ethane (DDTs), dieldrin (aldrin), heptachlor-epoxide (heptachlor), and hexachlorobenzenes (HCBs) from foods, fish, fish products, meat, eggs, milk, and milk products were analyzed as major sources of these pesticides in the diet. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) per person were 0.56 microgram for total HCH, 0.20 microgram for gamma-HCH, 0.09 microgram for dieldrin, 1.42 micrograms for total DDT, and 0.15 microgram for HCB. Similarly, daily intakes of organophosphorus pesticides such as malathion and chlorpyrifosmethyl were estimated by analyzing wheat and wheat products as major contributing foods. EDIs of malathion and chlorpyrifos-methyl were 0.22 and 0.24 microgram, respectively. Daily intakes of total HCH, dieldrin, and total DDT in fiscal year 1992-1993 decreased 29, 44, and 40%, respectively, but gamma-HCH intake increased 167%, in comparison with results of total diet studies for fiscal years 1980-1984. It was also shown that increase in gamma-HCH intake was due to recent increase in consumption of imported meat and meat products. Malathion intake did not change significantly. This method, which estimates EDIs based on concentrations of pollutants in main foods and statistical data of food consumption from the Japanese National Nutrition Survey, is considered to be sufficiently accurate for use as a simplified total diet study.