A review of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in Lebanon: Environmental and human contaminants. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Helou, Khalil; Harmouche-Karaki, Mireille; Karake, Sara; Narbonne, Jean-François
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 231(2019)
• Page Start: 357
• Page End: 368
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Persistent organic pollutants -- Lebanon -- Biomonitoring -- Environmental monitoring -- Organochlorine pesticides -- Polychlorinated biphenyls; Arithm. arithmetical -- av average -- BE biomonitoring equivalent -- CCME Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment -- Cl Chlorine -- DDD dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane -- DDE dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene -- DDT dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane -- dw dry weight -- EDL Électricité du Liban -- EPA Environmental Protection Agency -- EC European Commission -- EU European Union -- GC-MS gas chromatography-mass spectrometry -- Geom. geometrical -- HBM human biomonitoring -- HCB hexachlorobenzene -- HCH hexachlorocyclohexane -- γ-HCH lindane -- LSB Lebanese Serum Biomonitoring -- LOD limit of detection -- LOQ limit of quantification -- LP-GC-MS low-pressure gas chromatography-mass spectrometry -- Max maximum -- Min minimum -- MRL maximum residue level -- nd non-detectable -- nq non-quantifiable -- NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey -- OCPs organochlorine pesticides -- PEL probable effect level -- POPs persistent organic pollutants -- POCIS polar organic chemical integrative sampler -- PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls -- PCDD polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins -- PCDF dibenzofurans -- rang range -- SC Stockholm Convention -- samp sampling -- SPE solid phase extraction -- TEL threshold effect level -- USA United States of America -- WHO World Health Organization; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.05.109
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: The country of Lebanon banned organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 1982 and 1997, respectively, and adopted the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in 2003. Compliance with the Stockholm Convention began immediately, and research related to POPs in Lebanon had already been completed. A National Implementation Plan for POPs was formulated and updated several times, and includes a national inventory of PCBs that were mainly detected in insulating oils and equipment in power stations. High levels of PCBs have also been detected in sediments from the Port of Tripoli, the second major sea port in Lebanon. High levels of OCPs, which are illegally smuggled into Lebanon and improperly handled and used by farmers, have been detected in underground and surface waters for many years. There have also been human biomonitoring studies of PCBs and OCPs; for example, in 1999, measurable amounts of DDE were found in breast milk, and a 2018 study reported measurable amounts of PCBs and OCPs in human serum. While these levels were well below concentrations observed in other countries, they were slightly higher than the levels observed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This review provides an overview of the available PCB and OCP data from Lebanon between 1999 and 2017. In total, 12 studies of PCBs and OCPs in environmental samples, human serum samples, and human milk samples are included in this review, and the results of these studies are compared in terms of geography and chronology. Highlights: We collected data from 12 studies of PCBs and OCPs levels in Lebanon. Akkar groundwater and Tripoli sediments have recorded high OCPs and PCBs levels. Lebanese soil studied at national level showed acceptable levels of DDT residues. A biomonitoring study in Beirut reported normal levels of PCBs and OCPs.