ORGANOCHLORINE COMPOUNDS IN ADIPOSE-TISSUE OF GREENLANDERS AND SOUTHERN DANES

Abdominal fat tissue samples from the general population of Greenland and from southern Denmark were analyzed for o, p'-DDE and p, p'-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene], p, p,-DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethane], o, p'-DDT and p, p'-DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane], lindane (1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane), aldrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-1,4,4a,5,8,8ahexahydro-endo-exo-1,4:5,8-dimethanonaphthalene), dieldrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6, 7-epoxy-1,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-endo- exo-1,4:5,8-dimethanonaphthalene), heptachlor (1,4,5,6,7,8,8-heptachloro-3a,4, 7, 7a-tetrahydro-4, 7-methanoindene), heptachlor epoxide, and poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Fat tissue from Greenlanders contained significantly higher amounts of p, p'-DDE (p≤0.05), p, p'-DDT (p≤0.01), and total DDT (ΣDDT, the sum of DDT and its metabolites) (p≤0.01) than southern Danes. Lindane, aldrin-like residue, dieldrin, heptachlor-like residue, heptachlor epoxide, and PCBs were present in adipose ti ssue of both groups and there were no significant differences between the groups. The p, p'-DDE level in Greenland was lower than that in the United States, eastern Europe, and India. Among Greenlanders of different ages the highest ΣDDT was found in the age group of 22-45 yr; the content of PCBs increased with age. Among southern Danes the highest ΣDDT was found in a higher age group than in Greenlanders. Among Greenlanders the content of aldrin-like residue decreased with age and that of dieldrin increased with age. A significant correlation was found (on the basis of wet weight) between p, p'-DDE and PCB content in southern Danes (p≤0.02). The correlation between ΣDDT and PCB content was also significant in this population (p 0.01). These two relationships were not significantly correlated for the Greenlanders. The DDE/PCB and ΣDDT/PCB ratios were higher in Greenlanders than in southern Danes. These ratios are age-dependent and are highest in the age group 22-45 yr among the Greenlanders. A low DDE/PCB ratio and a low ΣDDT/PCB ratio have been proposed as markers for industrialization. In Greenlanders p, p'-DDE represented about 70% of ΣDDT. For southern Danes this level was about 90%. The data obtained are presented and discussed on the basis of both lipid and wet weight levels. © 1979 by Hemisphere Publishing Corporation.