Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) metabolites exposure with lung function alternation in the Chinese general adults

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2023-12, Vol.905, p.167729-167729, Article 167729
• Main Authors: Cao, Xiuyu, Tan, Qiyou, Wang, Mengyi, Liang, Ruyi, Yu, Linling, Liu, Yang, Zhang, Yongfang, Zhou, Min, Chen, Weihong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: DDE; DDT; General population; Lung function; Organochlorine
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167729

Exposure of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) pesticide was suggested to be associated with adverse effects on the respiratory system. However, the effects of DDT exposure on lung function remain unclear. Our objectives were to investigate the potential associations of internal levels of DDT and its metabolites including dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) with lung function. Serum DDT, DDE, and DDD concentrations and lung function were measured among 3968 general adults from the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of serum DDT and its metabolites with lung function were assessed using linear mixed models. The results showed negative dose-response relationships of serum DDT, DDE, and DDD levels with forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). In the cross-sectional analyses, each 1-unit increase in natural log-transformed values of p,p′-DDE, o,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDE, or p,p′-DDD was significantly associated with a 25.77-, 44.84-, 51.13-, or 43.44-mL decrease in FVC, respectively. Each 1-unit increase in natural log-transformed values of o,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDE, o,p′-DDD, or p,p′-DDD was significantly associated with a 35.72-, 31.87-, 29.54-, or 36.80-mL decrease in FEV1, respectively. In the three-year longitudinal analyses, each 1-unit increase in natural log-transformed serum p,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDE was significantly associated with a 35.10 mL and 36.38 mL decrease in FVC, and a 26.32 mL and 32.37 mL decrease in FEV1, respectively. In conclusion, DDT and its metabolites exposure were associated with lung function decline in the general Chinese adult population. [Display omitted] •Serum DDT metabolites as biomarkers to accurately quantify internal exposure levels•Enriching bio-monitoring data on DDT exposure in the general Chinese adults•Serum DDT metabolites had cross-sectional negative associations with lung function.•Serum DDT metabolites were longitudinally associated with lung function decline.