Pınar Efeoğlu

Pesticide intoxications in Cukurova, Turkey: three years analysis

In Cukurova region, pesticide poisonings still remain an unfortunate cause of death, which led to the present study. The autopsy records of Adana Branch of the Council of Forensic Medicine, between 2006 and 2008, were evaluated retrospectively. Deaths that were attributed to pesticide poisoning were included in the scope of the study to identify the type of pesticide, and etiology of intoxication. The frequency and distribution of intoxications were also analyzed in terms of sex and age. In the studied period, a total of 4199 autopsies were referred to the forensic toxicology laboratory for pesticide analysis. Seventy-two cases were positive for pesticide analysis. Of these, 42 (58.33%) were male and 30 (41.67%) were female, with a mean age of 38.8 ± 20.6 years. Among the inspected pesticides, endosulfan was found to be the most common with 47.2% of prevalence, followed by dichlorvos. This report showed that certain pesticides, endosulfan in particular, remains as common cause of poisonings in Cukurova region.

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in amniotic fluids of pregnant women in south-central Turkey†

The concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in amniotic fluid of 200 pregnant women from the Cukurova region of Turkey. The concentrations of OCPs [hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), and various metabolites], and different PCB congeners (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection as follows: HCB 6.6 ± 4.7, ΣHCH 21.6 ± 14.2, ΣDDT 12.5 ± 7.5, and ΣPCBs 74.0 ± 54 ng mL−1. Correlations of maternal or gestational age and levels of OCPs and PCBs were not significant. The levels of these organochlorine compounds (OCs) were below detection limit for 5% of the samples, 80% contained more than one OC. This study illustrates that prenatal exposure of a fetus to OCs is prevalent in the Cukurova region.

Non-persistent pesticides in breast milk in an agricultural area in Turkey

Abstract Background: Organophosphates, pythyreoids, carbamate pesticides and fungicides are heavily used in agriculture. They may have dangerous effects on newborn health especially on immune system and growth via prenatal transmission by placenta or postnatal transmission by breastfeeding. Methods: In 2015, 144 non-persistent pesticides in 64 milk samples of 32 mothers were studied by OuEChERS method in liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometer in neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Adana, a city in Cukurova region which is an important agricultural area in Turkey. Results: Pesticides were detected in milk samples of 11 mothers (34.3%) and 21 (32.8%) of milk samples. In five mothers, fungicides (in 5/10 samples propicanozole-PP, in 4/10 samples bromucanozole-BM), in five mothers, organophosphates (in 10/10 samples primyphosphomethyl-PPM), in one mother, both organophosphates and fungicide (in 1/2 samples PPM and in 1/2 samples buprimate) were detected. However, the estimated daily intakes (EDI) were less than acceptable daily intakes (ADI) for PPM, PP and BM, respectively. Conclusions: Although pesticides levels in human milk did not exceed the ADIs, we suggest monitoring pesticides in human breast milk especially for newborn health.

Cinsel Saldırılarda Kullanılan İlaçlar:Özellikleri ve Toksikolojik İncelemeleri

Cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan ve tecavuz hapi olarak adlandirilan ilaclar pek cok ulkede ortak suc fenomenidir. Tipik senaryoda saldirgan suphelenmeyen kisinin alkollu ya da alkolsuz icecegine sedatif etkili bir tecavuz hapi ekler. Ilac uygulamasindan sonra konfuzyon, hafiza kaybi, kas kontrol eksikligi, bas donmesi gibi semptomlar ve siklikla amnezi meydana gelmektedir. Cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan baslica ilaclar; γ-hidroksi butirat ve analoglari, klonazepam, alprazolam, flunitrazepam, oxazepam gibi benzodiazepinler, ketamin, barbituratlar, antidepresanlar, kokain ve amfetamin gibi stimulanlardir. Bu ilaclarin cogu renksiz, kokusuz ve yuksek oranda alkolde veya diger iceceklerde hizlica cozunmektedir. Oral uygulamadan sonra hizlica emilerek elimine edilirler. Kurban; utanma, korku, inkar etme, adalete guvensizlik gibi duygusal travmalardan dolayi olay gerceklestikten birkac gun sonra polise ya da diger hukuk guclerine sikayette bulunabilir. Bu sebeple ilacin varligini dogrulamak icin kurbandan biyolojik ornegin ne zaman alindigini bilmek onemlidir. Bu calismada cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan tecavuz ilaclarina genel bir yaklasim sunulacaktir.