Organochlorine Toxicity - Pathophysiology And Prevention

Introduction

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to protect crops from insects. These chemicals kill the pests that harm the crops in the fields. Organochlorine was a type of pesticide used for this purpose until the 1940s. However, these pesticides can stay in the environment under any climatic conditions. Because of this property, they are also called organic persistent pollutants because they are persistent and pollute the environment.

In the 1970s, organochlorines were banned because of their harmful effects on human health. They quickly get absorbed into the human stomach and intestines through contaminated food, water, and soil. After absorption, it flows into the bloodstream and reaches every body part. It creates toxicity in the body and causes breathing problems, heart problems, depression, and many other symptoms. In clinical settings, these symptoms are managed with activated charcoal doses and other medications that can absorb the organochlorine easily.

What Is Organochlorine Toxicity?

Organochlorine toxicity is the exposure of organochlorine through digestion or inhalation into the human body.

What Is Organochlorine?

It is a fat-soluble pesticide widely used in agriculture, industries, healthcare, and household to kill insects. However, these stay in the environment and may enter the human body. These are considered environmental hazards and are banned from use.

How Can Organochlorine Enter the Human Body?

Organochlorine is present in:

• Waste that is polluted and discarded.

• Drains from industries such as industrial waste.

• Contaminated food.

• Contaminated drinking water and soil.

What Are the Types of Organochlorine?

There are three groups of organochlorine:

1. Dichlorodiphenylethanes - These are commonly known as DDT and moderately hazardous for humans.

2. Cyclodienes - These are organic insecticides. For example, chlordane. These are highly hazardous.

3. Hexachlorocyclohexane - These include lindane which is used to kill rats and insects. These are moderately hazardous.

What Are the Common Examples of Organochlorine?

The common organochlorines are:

• Aldrin.

• Chlordane.

• Dichlorodiphenylethanes (DDT).

• Dieldrin.

• Endrin.

• Heptachlor.

• Lindane.

• Toxaphene.

What Is the Composition of Organochlorine?

Organochlorine belongs to a class of organic compounds and has various molecular structures. However, in general, it contains:

• At least one chlorine atom.

• Carbon structure surrounds the chlorine atom through a chemical bond or linkage (covalent attachment).

What Are the Characteristics of Organochlorine?

• Persistence - Organochlorine has a high persistence meaning that it can stay in water or soil for a long time. Persistence is the half-life of the substance, more than two months in water and more than six months in the soil. Organochlorine can stay for 60 days to 15 years.

• Volatile - Organochlorine can stay in high and low temperatures because it quickly evaporates in low temperatures. It suddenly changes its structure based on the surrounding temperature making the organochlorine stable.

• Adherence - Organochlorine can adhere to the air and soil quickly. This helps the organochlorine stay persistent in the environment for a long time.

• Absorption - Organochlorine is easily absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract of humans and the skin.

What Does Organic Persistent Pollutant Mean?

These compounds are also called forever chemicals because they are resistant or ineffective to environmental degradation, such as chemical or biological. Organochlorine is an example of an organic persistent pollutant because they stay stable and unchanged in any climatic conditions.

What Are the Effects of Organochlorine Toxicity on Humans?

Organochlorine toxicity can occur due to indirect or direct exposure, which may result in the following:

• High blood pressure.

• Heart diseases.

• Disturbed endocrine levels. Organochlorine interferes with the endocrine system.

• Imbalance in thyroid hormones.

• Increased risk of cancer related to hormones such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

• Development of autoimmune diseases.

• Learning disability in children.

• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Liver dysfunction.

• It gets absorbed in breast milk and becomes hazardous for infants.

What Is the Pathophysiology of Organochlorines in Humans?

When coming in contact with humans, organochlorine pesticides quickly enter their gastrointestinal tract and get absorbed. They are less likely to absorb through the skin and inhalation. After absorption, they reach the bloodstream and attach to lipoproteins (made of proteins and fats, responsible for carrying cholesterol in the body) in the serum that transports them to every part of the body. These pesticides are stored in the fatty or adipose tissues, where they can stay for a long duration, such as months to years.

While flowing in the blood, the enzymes present in the liver break down these pesticides and are excreted through the urine, breast milk, and stool. After three to four days of exposure, up to 50 % of the pesticide is expelled from the body.

When these compounds reach the central nervous system, they interfere with the potassium and sodium channels. It results in increased excitation of the neurons in the brain. Some organochlorines result in depression because of the interference or blockage of neuron activities.

What Are the Symptoms of Organochlorine Toxicity?

Depending on the exposure and toxicity, the symptoms vary but commonly include the following:

• Breathing problems and even respiratory failure.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Headache.

• Dizziness.

• Sudden seizures (electrical disturbances in the brain) may occur after one to six hours of exposure.

How to Diagnose Organochlorine Toxicity?

1. Imaging Test - A simple X-ray of the gastrointestinal tract may help in detecting the amount of ingested organochlorine because most organochlorines are radio-opaque. It means they do not allow the X-rays to pass through and generally appear white in the X-ray.

2. Lab Tests - Gas chromatography is usually done using blood and urine samples. It is a test used to detect the presence of unusual chemical compounds.

How to Manage Organochlorine Toxicity?

1. Discard Patient’s Clothes - If contamination or exposure occurs through clothes, the doctor must discard the patient's clothes carefully. The patient must wash their body with soap and water.

2. Activated Charcoal Dose - If the patient comes to the doctor within one hour of organochlorine ingestion, then an activated charcoal dose will help absorb the organochlorine from the intestines.

3. Lipophilic Compounds - To remove the organochlorine from the stomach and intestines, resins or lipophilic compounds such as cholestyramine may help. These compounds can get dissolved in fats and oils and reduce the half-life of the organochlorine compounds.

4. Anticonvulsants - If the patient has seizures, the doctor may manage them through anticonvulsants such as Benzodiazepines. The doctor must maintain the patient's airway with an appropriate oxygen supply.

Conclusion

Organochlorine pesticides are considered to be hazardous to the environment and human health. These are nowadays banned; however, they are still used in agriculture, households, and the healthcare industry. They are used to kill insects and rats. Because of their high absorption rate in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, they have various adverse effects such as high blood pressure, heart problems, depression, and so on. Activated charcoal and other medications may help manage the toxicity.