DDT in Mexico

Abstract

DDT was heavily used in Mexico in agriculture and for the Malaria Control Program. There-fore, in numerous communities, human exposure to DDT has been reported as a result of the presence of this insecticide in different environmental media. In this work, data needed for a health assessment of DDT in Mexico are summarized. The information includes environmental data (soil, household dust, water, sediment, aquatic biota and food); exposure data (human milk, adipose tissue and blood DDT concentrations in women, men and children); and some studies in relation to the biological effects that have been observed in individuals exposed to DDT. With all these data, we can conclude that DDT is a contaminant of concern that deserves further studies in Mexico, as the exposure will continue due to its persistence. Furthermore, now that DDT has been replaced with pyrethroids in the Malaria Control Program, a new scenario will need investigation, that is: the possible interaction between DDT and pyrethroids.