Agricultural soils are often cocontaminated with multiple pesticides. Unfortunately, microorganisms isolated from natural environments do not possess the ability to simultaneously degrade different classes of pesticides. Currently, we can use the approaches of synthetic biology to create a strain endowed with various catabolic pathways that do not exist in a natural microorganism. Here, we desc...

This study investigated the presence and levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (hexachlorobenzene (HCB), α‐, β‐, δ‐, and γ‐hexachlorohexane (HCH), dieldrin, dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane (p,p’-DDT), dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE), dichloro-diphenyldichloroethane (p,p’-DDD) and trans-nonachlor) in Solanum lycopersicum and Capsicum annuum samples commercially sold in Nigeri...

Among all classes of synthetic pesticides, organochlorines have found indiscriminate applications in the last century. DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) were the major OCP (organochlorine pesticides) used by many developed and developing countries. Lindane (HCH) and DDT were detected in the water, sediments and biota of certain provinces in China even after ...

γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) is a recalcitrant man-made chlorinated pesticide. Here, the complete genome sequences of four γ-HCH-degrading sphingomonad strains, which are most unlikely to have been derived from one ancestral γ-HCH degrader, were compared. Together with several experimental data, we showed that (i) all the four strains carry almost identical linA to linE genes for the convers...

This paper presents a comprehensive study of pesticide levels and bio-accumulation characteristics in human adipose tissues among residents of Southeast China. A large number of adipose samples (n=633) were selected for 58 pesticides and were analyzed by high sensitive Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The results showed that POPs pesticides were frequently detected, inclu...

Pesticide exposure has been implicated as an environmental risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the body burden of the pesticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) with the risk of T2DM in a sample of adults from Saudi Arabia. Serum samples were obtained from 280 adult subjects. Hexachlorocyclohexane isomer resi...

The levels and distribution patterns of the selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs=p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH) in surficial sediments from the Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River of Tianjin were investigated by means of gas chromatography coupled with micro-electronic capture detector (GC-microECD). Concentrations of OCPs in the sediments from ...

A total of fifty-four human breast milk samples were collected from Pediatric Department of Assiut University Hospital from lactating mothers during January-August, 2001. The samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues by using gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The results revealed that all detected organochlorine residue levels were markedly lower in compar...

In the last few decades, highly toxic organic compounds like the organochlorine pesticide (OP) hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) have been released into the environment. All HCH isomers are acutely toxic to mammals. Although nowadays its use is restricted or completely banned in most countries, it continues posing serious environmental and health concerns. Since HCH toxicity is well known, it is impe...