Abstract:
In malaria-endemic areas, where DDT is still used for vector control by indoor residual spraying (IRS), the
concentrations of DDT in human blood and breast milk are high, and there are indications of human
health impacts. To identify the possible avenues of exposure reduction, we created the concept of a
Total Homestead Environment Approach (THEA). THEA characterizes the interactions between DDT,
humans, and the biota within and around homesteads. One dietary route of human exposure and uptake
of DDT, namely, chicken egg consumption, has to our knowledge never been studied. The RDDT in eggs
from a DDT-sprayed village ranged between 5200 and 48,000 ng/g wm (wet mass), with a median of
11,000 ng/g wm. On a lipid mass-basis (lm), the mean RDDT for eggs from the sprayed village was
100,000 ng/g lm. The maximum egg concentration observed was three orders of magnitude higher than
the median. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) was not exceeded based on the consumption of three eggs
per week for a 60 kg person. This equates to an intake of 0.089 g DDT per person per year. Chicken egg
consumption is therefore a possible target for exposure reduction, probably best achieved by reducing
the DDT concentrations in soils.
