Human tissue distribution of cyclodiene pesticides-Hawaii 1964-1973

Data have been presented covering symptoms of acute exposure to cyclodiene pesticides in adults and infants in Hawaii. Varying concentrations of heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, DDT, DDE, and DDD were found in human autopsy material, with the highest levels of heptachlor epoxide in bone marrow and liver and those of dieldrin in kidney and gonad. Maximum concentration of dieldrin in human milk was 0.25 ppm on an extracted lipid basis; in fetal tissues, 1.46 ppm; and in maternal tissues, 2.04 ppm. There was correlation between dieldrin concentration in household dust and human blood serum. The general baseline levels of cyclodiene pesticides were lower in Hawaii than the rest of the United States.