An unnoticed issue: Organochlorine pesticides in tobacco products around the world

Silvia Quadroni; Roberta Bettinetti

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.009

An unnoticed issue: Organochlorine pesticides in tobacco products around the world

Chemosphere. 2019 Mar:219:54-57. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.009. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Authors

Silvia Quadroni¹, Roberta Bettinetti²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via G.B. Vico 46, 21100 Varese, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.quadroni@uninsubria.it.
² Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy.

PMID: 30529853
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.009

Abstract

In this work we assessed the presence of two well-known pesticides (DDT and lindane) along with their main metabolite or isomer in tobacco products from 11 countries. In 11 of the 14 samples DDTs were the dominant compounds, with maximum concentrations of pp'-DDT in Morocco cigarettes (9 ng g^-1) and of pp'-DDE in Italian cigars (13 ng g^-1). Moreover, the α/γ-HCH ratio was mostly lower than 1, indicating the main use of "Lindane" formulation. However, all the detected levels were below the guidance residue values of respective pesticide and metabolite/isomer.

Keywords: DDT; Human health; Lindane; Pesticides; Smoke; Tobacco.

MeSH terms

DDT / analysis
Hexachlorocyclohexane / analysis
Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / analysis*
Isomerism
Nicotiana / chemistry*
Pesticides / analysis*
Tobacco Products / analysis*

Substances

Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
Pesticides
alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane
Hexachlorocyclohexane
DDT