Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Residue Analysis of Organochlorine, Organophosphate, and Pyrethroid Pesticides in Human Biological Specimens by Gas Chromatography–Microelectron Capture Detector (GC-μECD)

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Pesticide Toxicology

Part of the book series: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology ((MIPT))

Abstract

Organochlorine, organophosphate, and pyrethroid pesticides are extensively used agents, which may result in either chronic or acute intoxication.

Here, multiresidue methods for detecting various components of these pesticide families are presented using different extraction/cleanup techniques and GC-μECD detection. These methods are used for many sample matrices, namely plasma, breast milk, and umbilical cord blood.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organization (2006) Pesticides and their application for the control of vectors and pests of public health importance. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/69223. Accessed 20 Feb 2021

  2. Porta M, Puigdomènech E, Ballester F (2008) Monitoring concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in the general population: the international experience. Environ Int 34:546–561

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. United Nations Environment Programme (2010) Ridding the World of POPs: a guide to the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/download.aspx?d=UNEP-POPS-PAWA-GUID-RIDDING.En.pdf. Accessed 20 Feb 2021

  4. Heyer DB, Meredith RM (2017) Environmental toxicology: sensitive periods of development and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurotoxicology 58:23–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.10.017

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dale WE, Curley A, Hayes WJ (1967) Determination of chorinated insecticides in human blood. Ind Med Surg 36(4):275–280

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hovander L, Linderholm L, Athanassiadou M et al (2004) Analysis of PCB and PCB metabolites in humans from Eastern Slovakia. Organohalogen Compd 66:3525–3551

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ramos JJ, Gómara B, Fernández MA et al (2007) A simple and fast method for the simultaneous determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in small volumes of human serum. J Chromatogr A 1152:124–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. United States Environmental Protection Agency (2018) SW-846 Test Method 8000D: determinative chromatographic separations. https://www.epa.gov/hw-sw846/sw-846-test-method-8000d-determinative-chromatographic-separations. Accessed 20 Feb 2021

  9. Stroia NG, Álvarez GB, Rodríguez Girault ME et al (2019) Evaluación de los niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados en población general de Argentina desde el 2005 al 2018. Acta Toxicol Argent 27(Supl):60–61

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dirtu AC, Cernat R, Dragan D et al (2006) Organohalogenated pollutants in human serum from Iassy, Romania and their relation with age and gender. Environ Int 32(6):797–803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2006.04.002

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Petrik J, Drobna B, Pavuk M et al (2006) Serum PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in Slovakia: age, gender, and residence as determinants of organochlorine concentrations. Chemosphere 65:410–418

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Thomas GO, Wilkinson M, Hodson S et al (2005) Organohalogen chemicals in human blood from the United Kingdom. Environ Pollut 141(1):30–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2005.08.027

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Carreño J, Rivas A, Granada A et al (2007) Exposure of young men to organochlorine pesticides in Southern Spain. Environ Res 103:55–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lucero P, Nassetta M, De Romedi A (2008) Evaluación de la exposición ambiental a plaguicidas orgánicos persistentes en dos barrios de la provincia de Córdoba. Acta Toxicol Argent 16(2):41–46

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kalantzi OI, Geens T, Covaci A et al (2011) Distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other persistent organic pollutants in human serum from Greece. Environ Int 37(2):349–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2010.10.005

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Mishra K, Sharma RC, Kumar S (2011) Organochlorine pollutants in human blood and their relation with age, gender and habitat from North-east India. Chemosphere 85(3):454–464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.07.074

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Amodio E, Turci R, Massenti MF et al (2012) Serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the inhabitants of a Sicilian city. Chemosphere 89(8):970–974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.06.054

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Arrebola JP, Cuellar M, Claure E et al (2012) Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in human serum and adipose tissue from Bolivia. Environ Res 112:40–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2011.10.006

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ruiz-Suárez LE, Castro-Chan RA, Rivero-Pérez NE et al (2014) Levels of organochlorine pesticides in blood plasma from residents of malaria-endemic communities in Chiapas, Mexico. Int J Environ Res Public Health 11(10):10444–10460. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph111010444

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Waliszewski SM, Caba M, Gómez-Arroyo S et al (2015) Niveles de plaguicidas organoclorados en suero sanguíneo comparados con la concentración de lípidos sanguíneos. Rev Int Contam Ambie 31(2):155–164

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bedi JS, Gill JP, Kaur P et al (2015) Evaluation of pesticide residues in human blood samples from Punjab (India). Vet World 8(1):66–71. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2015.66-71

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Kim JT, Kang JH, Chang YS et al (2018) Determinants of serum organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl levels in middle-aged Korean adults. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 25(1):249–259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0382-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Li J, Wang P, Shi S et al (2018) Background biomonitoring of residue levels of 137 pesticides in the blood plasma of the general population in Beijing. Environ Monit Assess 190(5):315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6694-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mansouri EH, Reggabi M (2021) Plasma concentrations of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants and their predictors in the general population of Algiers, Algeria. Emerg Contam 7:35–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emcon.2020.12.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Rodríguez Girault ME, Álvarez GB, Eisenacht M et al (2018) Exposición prenatal a plaguicidas organoclorados. Evaluación de los niveles en sangre de cordón umbilical en neonatos del área metropolitana de Buenos Aires. Acta Toxicol Argent 26(Supl):11

    Google Scholar 

  26. Jaraczewska K, Lulek J, Covaci A et al (2006) Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human umbilical cord serum, maternal serum and milk from Wielkopolska region, Poland. Sci Total Environ 372(1):20–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Pathak R, Suke SG, Ahmed RS et al (2008) Endosulfan and other organochlorine pesticide residues in maternal and cord blood in North Indian population. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 81(2):216–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-008-9459-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Herrero-Mercado M, Waliszewski SM, Caba M et al (2010) Organochlorine pesticide levels in umbilical cord blood of newborn in Veracruz, Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 85(4):367–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0108-8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Sexton K, Salinas JJ, McDonald TJ et al (2013) Biomarkers of maternal and fetal exposure to organochlorine pesticides measured in pregnant Hispanic women from Brownsville, Texas. Int J Environ Res Public Health 10(1):237–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Vizcaino E, Grimalt JO, Fernández-Somoano A et al (2014) Transport of persistent organic pollutants across the human placenta. Environ Int 65:107–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.01.004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Guo H, Jin Y, Cheng Y et al (2014) Prenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides and infant birth weight in China. Chemosphere 110:1–7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Luo D, Pu Y, Tian H et al (2016) Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in umbilical cord blood and related lifestyle and dietary intake factors among pregnant women of the Huaihe River Basin in China. Environ Int 92-93:276–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.04.017

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Choi S, Kim HJ, Kim S et al (2018) Current status of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exposure among mothers and their babies of Korea-CHECK cohort study. Sci Total Environ 618:674–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.232

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Zhang X, Wu X, Lei B et al (2018) Transplacental transfer characteristics of organochlorine pesticides in paired maternal and cord sera, and placentas and possible influencing factors. Environ Pollut 233:446–454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.075

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Rosell MG, Obiols J, Berenguer MJ et al (1993) Determination of chlorinated insecticides in blood samples of agricultural workers. J Chromatogr 655:151–154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Guardino X, Serra C, Obiols J et al (1996) Determination of DDT and related compounds in bood samples from agricultural workers. J Chromatogr A 719:141–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Luo XW, Foo SC, Ong HY (1997) Serum DDT and DDE levels in Singapore General Population. Sci Total Environ 208:97–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Garrido Frenich A, Martinez Vidal JL, Moreno Frías M et al (2000) Quantitative determination of endocrine-disrupting polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorinated pesticides in human serum using gas chromatography with electron-capture detection and tándem mass spectrometry. J Mass Spectrom 35:967–975

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Martinez Vidal JL, Moreno Frías M et al (2000) Trace determination of α- and β-endosulfan and three metabolites in human serum by gas chromatography electron capture detection and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 14:939–946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Pitarch E, López FJ, Serrano R et al (2001) Multiresidue determination of organophosphorus and organochlorine in human biological fluids by capillary gas chromatography. Fresenius J Anal Chem 369:502–509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Stevens MF, Ebell GF, Psaila-Savona P (1993) Organochlorine pesticides in western Australian nursing mothers. Med J Aust 158:238–241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Waliszewski SM, Pardo Sedas VT, Chantiri JN et al (1996) Organochlorine pesticides residue in human milk from tropical areas in Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 57:22–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Lenardon A, Maitre MI, Lorenzeti E et al (2000) Plaguicidas organoclorados en leche materna en Santa Fe, Argentina. Acta Toxicol Argent 8(1):2–4

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Luo D, Pua Y, Tian H et al (2016) Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in umbilical cord blood and related lifestyle and dietary intake factors among pregnant women of the Huaihe River Basin in China. Environ Int 92–93:276–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Lopes B, Arrebola JP, Serafim A et al (2014) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p 0-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord serum in a human cohort from South Portugal. Chemosphere 114:291–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Cátedra de Toxicología y Química Legal, Laboratorio de asesoramiento toxicológico analítico (CENATOXA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Nicolás Fernández, Gloria Beatríz Alvarez, María Eugenia Rodriguez Girault, Patricia Noemí Quiroga & Adriana Silvia Ridolfi

Authors
  1. Nicolás Fernández
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gloria Beatríz Alvarez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. María Eugenia Rodriguez Girault
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Patricia Noemí Quiroga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Adriana Silvia Ridolfi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicolás Fernández .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Drug-Toxicology, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Eugenia Gallardo

  2. National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences- South Branch, Lisbon, Portugal

    Mário Barroso

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Fernández, N., Alvarez, G.B., Girault, M.E.R., Quiroga, P.N., Ridolfi, A.S. (2022). Residue Analysis of Organochlorine, Organophosphate, and Pyrethroid Pesticides in Human Biological Specimens by Gas Chromatography–Microelectron Capture Detector (GC-μECD). In: Gallardo, E., Barroso, M. (eds) Pesticide Toxicology. Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1928-5_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1928-5_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1927-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1928-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation