The factors identified to be important for the aerobic biodegradation of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) in a soil slurry are temperature, auxiliary carbon source, substrate concentration, and soil inhomogeneities. Temperatures in the range of 20 to 30 degrees C were determined to be most favorable for biodegradation of alpha-HCH. No alpha-HCH biodegradation was detected at temperatures...

Air, seawater, sea ice, and snow were collected during the austral winter (September-October 2001) and summer (January-February 2002) along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) > heptachlor > alpha- and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and heptachlor epoxide, were the most frequently detected organochlorine pesticides in air. HCB and HCH levels declined over the past 20 yea...

Background: Hypothyroidism (HT), a relatively common condition among general population is associated with lipid profile abnormalities. The present study was designed to determine the contributive role of HT in the development of hypercholesterolemia (HCH). Methods: One hundred thirty six consecutive patients with HT and 272 euthyroid controls entered the study. Serum total cholesterol (CH) lev...

We measured the contamination levels with a broad gamma of pesticides in water, soil and foodstuff from Central Romania. Organochlorine, triazine, carbamate, phenoxy acid and organophosphorus pesticides were analyzed in water, soil and foodstuffs samples. Among the most detected pollutants, we found pesticides prohibited in the European Union, such as isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) and...

We used a two-step enrichment approach to isolate root-colonizing hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-degrading microorganisms. The first step consists of the use of classical liquid enrichment to isolate γ-HCH degraders. The γ-HCH-degrading microbes were attached in mass to corn seeds sown in soil with γ-HCH, and after plant development we rescued bacteria growing on root tips. Bacteria were then subj...

Keoladeo National Park (KNP) is an important wintering ground for thousands of birds that undertake a perilous journey over the Himalaya to make a seasonal home in a wetland ecosystem. However, this wetland is now getting polluted by various types of contaminants such as pesticides because of the agricultural practices in the catchment area from where the park receives water. Keeping this in mi...

Production of biosurfactant can be substantially increased by the addition of precursors like vegetable oils, petroleum products, and other water-insoluble substances. Pseudomonas Ptm+ strain produces biosurfactant in the presence of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), which specifically emulsifies HCH, a recalcitrant organochlorine pesticide. Addition of previously produced crude biosurfactant by the...

BACKGROUND A chemical plant manufacturing pesticides has been operating since the 1950's in the Sacco River Valley (Central Italy). In 2005, high beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (Beta-HCH) concentrations were found in milk of cows raised and fed near the river. We report the results of a biomonitoring study conducted in this region to evaluate the body burden of Beta-HCH and to identify the determin...

How do climate fluctuations affect DDT and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) distribution in the global scale? In this study, the interactions between climate variations and depositions of DDT and HCH in ice cores from Mt. Everest (the Tibetan Plateau), Mt. Muztagata (the eastern Pamirs) and the Rocky Mountains were investigated. All data regarding DDT/HCH deposition were obtained from the published ...

Monitoring of DDT and HCH residues in the environment of Paliakalan during 2009 to 2011 revealed low to moderate levels of these insecticides in cow, buffalo, goat & breast milk samples. The levels of the DDT and HCH residues in animal & human milk collected from rural areas having intensive sugarcane, wheat & paddy cultivation in Paliakalan were analysed all samples contained detectable quanti...