A simple and fast method for the determination of selected organohalogenated compounds in serum samples from the general population

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been widely used in industry and agriculture. Due to their persistence and bioaccumulation, they were globally spread in the environment and may still be found in environmental and biological media, despite the international restrictions on production and use. The main aim of our study was to develop a simple and fast method suitable for the establishment of the reference values for 15 PCB congeners and 16 OCPs in general population subgroups. A cost- and time-saving screening procedure using gas chromatography coupled with low-resolution mass spectrometry, was improved and validated before application to the analysis of real samples. The overall method was validated including uncertainty measurement. Preliminary field data were collected from 95 volunteers living in two Italian areas. HCB, p,p'-DDE, PCB 153, PCB 138 and PCB 180 were the most frequently detected compounds. Age and residence area were found to be significant variables for the most abundant compounds, while no correlation between serum concentrations and gender was observed. Our results suggest that long-banned substances, including PCBs and the pesticides HCB and DDT's breakdown product, are still detectable in the general population.