Impact of subsistence production on the management options to reduce the food exposure of the Martinican population to Chlordecone

Abstract : Chlordecone is an organochlorine insecticide used until 1993 in the banana plantations of the French Antilles. Recent surveys revealed its wide presence in the environment. This current paper focuses on the impact of different management options on the Martinican population’s food exposure, taking into account that an appreciable part of the food consumed in Martinique corresponds to subsistence production. Food exposure is assessed through deterministic models. Consumption data derive from the ESCAL Survey on 1814 subjects aged 3 and over. Residues data come from the Monitoring Programs 2002–2004. Different scenarios are studied depending on whether the subjects live on a soil-contaminated place or not and on their supply habits. The impact of various maximum limits is then analysed. The probability of exceeding the chronic health-based guidance value (CHGV) of 0.5 lg/kg bw/day is, respectively, 20.9% (CI95th [6.2; 34.4]) and 15.6% (CI95th [9.6; 20.8]) for children and adults living in a soil-contaminated area and null for the remaining population. MLs below 300 lg/kg fw would reduce significantly the exposure but the probability of exceeding the CHGV remains statistically different from zero when only commercialised products are taken into account. This study shows the supply habits may have significant impacts on food exposure to contaminants. It reveals that setting MLs, which can only be controlled on commercialised products, is not enough in such situations. Other management options like consumption recommendations for self-produced foodstuffs are necessary to protect the Martinican consumer.