Table 1.
Structure, physicochemical properties and biological effects of several organochlorine pesticides.
| Name | structure | Mol. Wt | Water solubility (mg/L) | LogKow | Half-life (days) | Detection rate in breast milk | Role as xenoestrogens | Effects on Infant Health | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) |
|
354.5 | 0.025 | 6.91 | 1460-3650 | 100% (Taiwan, China) | high binding affinity to ERα, ERβ and GPER | cause weight loss; affect neurodevelopment | (23, 33–38) |
| Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) |
|
318.0 | 0.12 | 6.51 | 2064.8 | nd | has weak estrogenic activity | cause weight loss; affect neurodevelopment | (34, 36–38) |
| Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) |
|
320.1 | 0.09 | 6.02 | 3800 | nd | nd | affect neurodevelopment | (37, 38) |
| Methoxychlor (MXC) |
|
345.6 | 0.04 | 5.08 | 180 | <50% (Taiwan, China) | bind to ESR1 and ERβ;act as an antagonist of AR | cause abnormal reproductive development | (23, 33, 38–43) |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) |
|
290.8 | 100 | 3.8 | 9490 | 36.4% (Jinhua, China) | has weak estrogenic activity | cause slow growth; affects the gut microbiome | (38, 44–47) |
| Endosulfan |
|
406.9 | 0.32 | 4.7 | 50-1095 | <50% (Taiwan, China) | higher affinity with ERα | cryptorchidism in male infants | (23, 38, 48–50) |
| Chlordane |
|
409.8 | 1 | 6.16 | 37-7300 | nd | has weak estrogenic activity | affect neurodevelopment | (23, 38, 51) |
| Heptachlor |
|
373.32 | 0.18 | 5.44 | 250 | 100% (Tiawan, China) | has weak estrogenic activity | decreased testosterone levels | (23, 38, 52) |
| Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) |
|
284.8 | 0.005 | 6.41 | 156-1563 | 83.6% (Jinhua, China) | activates AhR | lead to overweight; cryptorchidism in male infants | (42, 47, 50, 53–55) |
“nd” means “not determined; ERα, estrogen receptor α;ERβ, estrogen receptor β; GPER, G-protein coupled estrogen receptor; AhR, aryl hydrocarbon receptor; AR, androgen receptor.