Population characteristics of young African women influencing prenatal exposure to DDT (Manhiça, Mozambique)

The concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) compounds in cord blood of 214 children born between 2003 and 2006 in Manhiça (Mozambique) have been determined. In this time interval, corresponding to the period before DDT reintroduction for indoor residual spraying, the observed values averaged 0.8 and 0.4 ng/ml for 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4′-DDE) and 4,4′-DDT, respectively, and were similar to those found in western countries. However, the 4,4′-DDT/4,4′-DDE ratio was high indicating that the inputs of these compounds arriving to children in utero originated from recent uses of the insecticide. The strongest factor affecting DDT concentration was parity. A well-defined decreasing concentration trend was observed for the cord blood concentrations in the period of study. The trend was also observed for multiparae and primiparae mothers independently. Children from multiparae women showed much lower concentrations than primiparae women. Children from mothers with secondary school level exhibited lower concentrations of these pesticides than mothers with lower degree of education.

We thank all the families for their participation in the study and the staff of the Manhiça Health Research Center for their support during data and cord blood sample collection, particularly Cleofé Romagosa and Azucena Bardají. MNM is funded by a Ph.D. Scholarship from Fundació Marfà, CD is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN; RYC-2008-02631), and CG was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III; CM04/00028). Funding was received from MICINN (INMA G03/176, Consolider Ingenio GRACCIE, CSD2007-00067), CSIC (PIF06-053), and ArcRisk EU Project (FP7-ENV-2008-1-226534). The CISM receives core support from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID). This paper was also sponsored by research group 2009SGR1178 from Generalitat de Catalunya.

Peer reviewed