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Human Health Risks Assessment Associated with Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Soil from Different Contaminated Areas of Mexico

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Abstract

Recent studies have documented environmental contamination by PCBs in soil from different areas in Mexico (industrial, mining, and urban sites). However, the real significance of that soil contamination has not been established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform a human health risk assessment (Monte Carlos simulation) to evaluate the probable toxic effects of soils contaminated with PCBs on children in four sites in Mexico. A high non-carcinogenic risk (total nHQ = 1.1E+01; if nHQ ≥1, hazardous health effects cannot be ruled out) was found in Alpuyeca, Morelos, Mexico. Moreover, the total CR (cancer risk) found in Alpuyeca, Morelos is of concern (total CR = 5.1E−03), being that a cut-point of 1.0E−06 has been suggested as a safe level for cancer risk. Taking into consideration the data shown in this research, we conclude that a strategy to protect human health is necessary for the assessed sites.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by CONACyT (Grant CONACyT- PDCPN2015-1558 and Fondo Sectorial SEMARNAT–CONACYT-249421).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Toxicología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Coordinación para la Innovación y Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (CIACYT), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Avenida Sierra Leona No. 550, Colonia Lomas Segunda Sección, San Luis Potosí, SLP, 78210, Mexico

    Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado, Ángeles C. Ochoa Martínez, Tania Ruíz-Vera, Sandra T. Orta-García & José A. Varela-Silva

  2. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado, Ángeles C. Ochoa Martínez, Tania Ruíz-Vera, Sandra T. Orta-García & José A. Varela-Silva

  3. Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Zona Media, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Rio-verde, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado

  4. Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas, ZAC, Mexico

    José A. Varela-Silva

Authors
  1. Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado
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  2. Ángeles C. Ochoa Martínez
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  3. Tania Ruíz-Vera
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  4. Sandra T. Orta-García
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  5. José A. Varela-Silva
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Correspondence to Iván N. Pérez-Maldonado.

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Pérez-Maldonado, I.N., Ochoa Martínez, Á.C., Ruíz-Vera, T. et al. Human Health Risks Assessment Associated with Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Soil from Different Contaminated Areas of Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 99, 338–343 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2148-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2148-9

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