RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS IN VEGETATION AND SOCIOECONOMIC INDEXES ON A GLOBAL-SCALE

Many advances have been made in the comprehension of the environmental distribution of persistent organic chemicals. Previous studies on chl orinated hydrocarbons in vegetation have shown that physicochemical pr operties in combination with environmental characteristics are the mos t important factors in determining the distribution pattern in remote areas, while present and past use seem to be the most important elemen t near source areas. To better understand how a country's technologica l level and socioeconomic conditions impact on the environment in term s of organic contamination, several published data on contamination in vegetation by HCHs, HCB, and DDTs along with a new set of results fro m different countries were considered in relation to socioeconomic ind ices (Gross National Product per capita and Human Development Index). HCB and secondly gamma-HCH seem to be linked to the economic developme nt, while among the DDTs only the DDT/DDE ratio shows a significant re lationship with the considered indices. The proposed relationships bet ween pollution and development highlight new elements that contribute to the understanding of the inputs and distribution of organic contami nants.