Abstract

PELUSO, Fabio; GROSMAN, Fabián  and  GONZALEZ CASTELAIN, José. Health risk by organochlorine pesticides in waters of an Argentine pampean shallow lake. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2009, vol.43, n.2, pp.233-240. ISSN 0325-2957.

Organochlorine pesticides were detected in El Carpincho shallow lake (Junín, Buenos Aires province, Argentina), and they could have negative effects on its users' health. The object of this study was to assess the human health risk (HR) associated with these pesticides during recreational bathing. The probabilistic HR assessment was based on aggregate and cumulative USEPA models and applied to a and δ HCH, Endosulfan and Endosulfan sulphate pesticides. The cancer and noncancer risks were estimated for accidental drinking and dermal contact. The exposure considered was one hour a day^-1 by a sport fisherman. The fisherman characteristics (annual fish trip frequency, event length, experience) were based on previous studies on social aspects of local anglers. The aggregate and cumulative noncancer and cancer risks were 3.19E^-05 and 1.76E^-08 (5 and 3 orders of magnitude lower than the level of hazard for each type of effect). Isomers of HCH were the major contributors in both cases. The recreational use of this shallow lake would not represent an adverse health risk considering the assumed conditions of exposure.

Keywords : Health risk analysis; Organochlorine pesticides; Recreational waters quality; Pampean shallow lakes.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )