ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE (HCH) AND DICHLORODIPHENYLTRICHLOROETHANE (DDT) RESIDUES AND EXTENT OF DNA DAMAGE IN CATTLE OF KASARGOD DISTRICT, NORTHERN KERALA, INDIA

Pesticide uses pose a serious threat to environment and public health owing to their persistence and tendency to accumulate in animal and plant tissues. The present investigation was conducted to analyze pesticide residues mainly HCH and DDT in field, and biological samples from the plantation areas of Northern Kerala, India and the extent of DNA damage in cattle was measured. Environmental samples mainly water and fodder and biological samples milk and blood were collected from study area. All samples were analyzed using Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detector and confirmed by Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The extent of DNA damage was analyzed using COMET assay. Among samples analyzed, water samples revealed detectable pesticide residues. One water sample was detected with all HCH isomers, and two samples were detected with p,p’-DDD. Mean concentration (ppm) of total HCH and DDT were 8.073 × 10^-4 and 3.51 × 10^-5 respectively. Pesticide residues in fodder and biological samples were with below detectable level. Comet assay revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) percent DNA in tail, tail length, tail and olive tail moment in study area blood samples than control. Presence of high ratio of β HCH isomer and p, p’-DDD in environmental samples reveals the existence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in study area. Absence of detectable level of residues in biological samples, necessitate further investigation to corroborate basis for DNA damage detected.