Detection of hydroxylated metabolites of β- and δ-HCH isomers from contaminated environments

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is a mixture of toxic, lipophilic and persistent stereoisomers which has been used indiscriminately for its insecticidal properties in agricultural practices. Consequently, several high- dose point HCH dumpsites have been generated across the globe. Genetics and biochemistry of HCH degradation in microbial systems have identified genes and a plethora of intermediary metabolites. Thus, evaluation of such metabolites can be a key indicator for the success of bioremediation efforts. However, extreme high concentrations of parental HCH isomers may mask the detection of these metabolites. This study presents an assessment of hydroxylated metabolites of the more persistent β- and δ-HCH isomers against high concentration of parental HCH isomers. For this purpose, samples were collected from contaminated soils, water, and pond sediment samples from the HCH dumpsite in Ummari village, Lucknow (U.P.), India.