A biomonitoring study on blood levels of beta-hexachlorocyclohexane among people living close to an industrial area

Table 3 Descriptive data (GM and GSD) of ß -HCH (ng/g lipid) by the main population characteristics

	N	GM	±	GSD	pvalue*
TOTAL	216	60.58	±	2.65
Sex					0.2209
Males	110	55.93	±	2.68
Females	106	65.82	±	2.62
Age group (years)					<0.001
25-34	42	38.75	±	3.04
35-44	57	41.94	±	2.48
45-54	49	68.69	±	2.31
55-64	68	99.25	±	2.18
Level of education					<0.001
Primary school	108	89.86	±	2.56
High school	91	41.33	±	2.38
University degree	17	38.31	±	2.05
Smoking					0.2003
Never	124	65.19	±	2.78
Yes	92	54.88	±	2.47
Area of residence					<0.001
Area 1 (reference)	25	34.47	±	1.91
Area 2 (Colleferro urban/rural)	46	36.05	±	2.17
Area 3 (industrial)	39	43.82	±	2.20
Area 4 (river)	106	97.65	±	2.59
Distance from the river					<0.001
> 5 km	28	40.36	±	1.80
> 2–5 km	30	37.92	±	2.65
1-2 km	66	61.01	±	2.32
500 m-1 km	55	80.73	±	2.82
< 500 m	37	77.61	±	3.07
Use of private well water for drinking					<0.001
No	189	55.10	±	2.54
Yes	27	117.7	±	2.81
Use of private well water for cooking					<0.001
No	146	46.39	±	2.48
Yes	70	105.7	±	2.39
Use of private well water for personal cleaning					<0.001
No	138	44.69	±	2.35
Yes	78	103.8	±	2.58
Use of someone else’s well water					0.0666
No	212	59.58	±	2.61
Yes	4	146.9	±	4.45
Any use of well water					<0.001
No	129	42.87	±	2.32
Yes	87	101.1	±	2.55
Provenience of food					0.0006
Commercial	56	41.43	±	2.05
Local	99	62.38	±	2.74
Own production	61	81.87	±	2.79

ISSN: 1476-069X