Rekha Kashyap

Publications of Rekha Kashyap

• Residues of dioxin in egg samples collected from west zone of India.

  Authors: Rekha Kashyap, Vijay Bhatnagar, Harsiddha G Sadhu, Bhavana Arora, Nisha Jhamb, Rupal Karanjkar

  Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology. 06/2008; 80(5):428-30.

  The residues of the congeners of dioxin and furan have been identified in the egg samples collected from the western zone of the India. The samples were collected from the chicken grown in sitesThe residues of the congeners of dioxin and furan have been identified in the egg samples collected from the western zone of the India. The samples were collected from the chicken grown in sites where Municipal Corporation incinerates the municipal and hazardous wastes. All the samples showed the presence of the residues of PCDDs/Fs. The mean TEQ of dioxin and furan were 7.10 pg/g and 0.39 pg/g respectively.

• Repeated episodes of endosulfan poisoning.

  Authors: Aruna Dewan, Vijay K Bhatnagar, Murli L Mathur, Tapas Chakma, Rekha Kashyap, Harsiddha G Sadhu, Sukesh N Sinha, Habibullah N Saiyed

  Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology. 02/2004; 42(4):363-9.

  INTRODUCTION: A number of families in a rural area of Jabalpur District (Madhya Pradesh), India, were affected by repeated episodes of convulsive illness over a period of three weeks. The aim of thisINTRODUCTION: A number of families in a rural area of Jabalpur District (Madhya Pradesh), India, were affected by repeated episodes of convulsive illness over a period of three weeks. The aim of this investigation was to determine the cause of the illness. METHODS: The investigation included a house-to-house survey, interviews of affected families, discussions with treating physicians, and examination of hospital records. Endosulfan poisoning was suspected as many villagers were using empty pesticide containers for food storage. To confirm this, our team collected blood and food samples, which were transported to the laboratory and analyzed with GC-ECD. RESULTS: Thirty-six persons of all age groups had illness of varying severity over a period of three weeks. In the first week, due to superstitions and lack of treatment, three children died. In the second week, symptomatic treatment of affected persons in a district hospital led to recovery but recurrence of convulsive episodes occurred after the return home. In the third week, 10 people were again hospitalized in a teaching hospital. Investigations carried out in this hospital ruled out infective etiology but no facilities were available for chemical analysis. All persons responded to symptomatic treatment. The blood and food samples analyzed by our team showed presence of endosulfan, which was confirmed by GCMS. One of the food items (Laddu) prepared from wheat flour was found to contain 676 ppm of alpha-endosulfan. CONCLUSIONS: Contamination of wheat grains or flour with endosulfan and its consumption over a period of time was the most likely cause of repeated episodes of convulsions, but the exact reason for this contamination could not be determined. This report highlights the unsafe disposal of pesticide containers by illiterate farm workers, superstitions leading to delay in treatment, and susceptibility of children to endosulfan.

• Effect of endosulfan on male reproductive development.

  Authors: Habibullah Saiyed, Aruna Dewan, Vijay Bhatnagar, Udyavar Shenoy, Rathika Shenoy, Hirehall Rajmohan, Kumud Patel, Rekha Kashyap, Pradip Kulkarni, Bagalur Rajan, Bhadabhai Lakkad

  Environmental health perspectives. 01/2004; 111(16):1958-62.

  There is experimental evidence of adverse effects of endosulfan on the male reproductive system, but there are no human data. Therefore, we undertook a study to examine the relationship betweenThere is experimental evidence of adverse effects of endosulfan on the male reproductive system, but there are no human data. Therefore, we undertook a study to examine the relationship between environmental endosulfan exposure and reproductive development in male children and adolescents. The study population was composed of 117 male schoolchildren (10-19 years of age) of a village situated at the foothills of cashew plantations, where endosulfan had been aerially sprayed for more than 20 years, and 90 comparable controls with no such exposure history. The study parameters included recording of clinical history, physical examination, sexual maturity rating (SMR) according to Tanner stages, and estimation of serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, and endosulfan residues (70 study and 47 control subjects). Mean +/- SE serum endosulfan levels in the study group (7.47 +/- 1.19 ppb) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in controls (1.37 +/- 0.40 ppb). Multiple regression analysis showed that SMR scoring for development of pubic hair, testes, penis, and serum testosterone level was positively related to age and negatively related to aerial exposure to endosulfan (AEE; p < 0.01). Serum LH levels were significantly positively related to AEE after controlling for age (p < 0.01). The prevalence of congenital abnormalities related to testicular descent (congenital hydrocele, undescended testis, and congenital inguinal hernia) among study and controls subjects was 5.1% and 1.1%, respectively, but the differences were statistically nonsignificant. Our study results suggest that endosulfan exposure in male children may delay sexual maturity and interfere with sex hormone synthesis. Our study is limited by small sample size and nonparticipation.

• Integrated pest management and residue levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in water samples from rural areas in Gujarat State, India.

  Authors: Rekha Kashyap, Vijay K Bhatnagar, Habibullah N Saiyed

  Archives of environmental health. 57(4):337-9.

  The authors identified 2 rural areas for study in Gujarat State, India, on the basis of pesticide use in agriculture and vector-control programs. In rural area 1, pesticides were used in bothThe authors identified 2 rural areas for study in Gujarat State, India, on the basis of pesticide use in agriculture and vector-control programs. In rural area 1, pesticides were used in both agriculture and vector-control programs, whereas in rural area 2, they were used in agriculture only. Water samples were collected from both areas, and they were analyzed for total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) residues. The mean residue levels of total DDT in rural areas 1 and 2 were 7.56 ng/l and 4.27 ng/l, respectively. The corresponding values for HCH were 6.96 ng/l and 5.53 ng/l, respectively. Residue levels of both pesticides were significantly lower in rural area 2 than in area 1.