Chlordecone (CLD) is an organochlorine pesticide used in banana fields of the French West Indies between 1972 and 1993. This use resulted in a long-term pollution of soils and the possible contamination of farm animals. Indeed, after involuntary ingestion of soil, CLD is absorbed and consequently leads to contaminated animals. The aim of this study was the determination of CLD half-life and the establishment of the linearity of CLD disappearance kinetics in non-lactating adult's ewes. Chlordecone diluted in cremophor was intravenously administrated to ewes at different doses: 0.04, 0.2, or 1 mg kg-1 body weight (n = 5 for each dose). Blood samples were collected from time t = 0 to time t = 84 days. Serum samples were extracted with a solid-phase extraction and analyzed by electron capture detection gas chromatography. A two-compartmental model was applied to the serum CLD kinetics. An additional statistical analysis was applied to the observed elimination parameters in serum according to the administrated dose, and no significant differences were detected. The linear elimination of CLD between 0.04 and 1 mg kg-1 body weight allowed the possibility of ewe's extrapolation half-life in this dose range. The estimated mean CLD half-life in ewes was 24 days. Overall, the results of this study will be useful to establish decontamination strategies in small ruminants reared in contaminated CLD areas. Graphical abstract Experimental design of the CLD toxicokinetic study in ewes.
Keywords: Chlordecone; Elimination; Ewe; Half-life; Linearity; Serum; Toxicokinetic.