Photo Credit: Yoga Balaji

A study published in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment shows that pesticide contamination is common in the Indian city of Hyderabad. Researchers examined 195 foods to assess the dietary intake of pesticides among fiver socioeconomic groups within the city, and found that residues were present on 51 percent of the samples examined. Of the 13 different pesticides, the highest concentration was for beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), an organochloride that has been banned in the United States for over 30 years due to its neurotoxic effects on humans. Additionally, the exposure to β-HCH was higher for individuals in lower socioeconomic groups, showing a disparity in exposures to toxic pesticides among income and class levels.