Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112362

Catherine L. Zeman, PhD, Health Division School of HPELS, University of Northern Iowa, 239 WRC, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0241, 319-273-7090, catherine.zeman@uni.edu and Dr. Mariana Vlad, PhD, MD, Environmental and Community Health, The Prof. Iuliu Moldovan Institute of Public Health, Cluj Napoca, Romania, 6 Louis Pasteur St., Cluj Napoca, Romania.

The use of DDT from old industrial waste piles and personal stock piles remains a challenging problem for Romanian public health authorities to deal with. This research presents a generalized exposure assessment based on composite environmental sampling and dietary survey within five counties of the Transylvania region, Romania. These counties are Alba, Bistrita-Nasaud, Mures, Salaj, and Satu Mare.

DDT levels in eggs, cheese, milk, and water were measured through solvent separation and HPLC analysis. Composite sample levels of DDT and its degradation products will be presented for eggs, cheese, milk, and water from the five counties sampled. Based on dietary questionnaires of 68 women of child bearing age, consuming these foods and water in the five counties from which samples were taken, an average, cumulative exposure by county will be illustrated. These levels will be compared to WHO standards for exposure and their relevance from a human health perspective discussed. A brief illustration of the challenges facing public health authorities in completely eliminating sources of DDT pesticide, improving pesticide safety, use, and labeling practices will also be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Come to understand the exposure sources, routes, and patterns to DDT and its derivatives for women of the Transylvania region of Romania.
• 2.Asses the varying concentrations and exposure patterns by county and based on dietary patterns.
• 3.Analyze and recognize ways in which exposure could be decreased or eliminated for the sample group.

Keywords: Environmental Exposures, Pesticide Exposure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.