Fetal Exposure to PCBs and Their Hydroxylated Metabolites in a Dutch Cohort

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are still the most abundant pollutants in wildlife and humans. Hydroxylated PCB metabolites (OH-PCBs) are known to be formed in humans and wildlife. Studies in animals show that these metabolites cause endocrine-related toxicity. The health effects in humans have not yet been evaluated, especially the effect on the fetus and newborn. The aim of this study is to measure the levels of PCBs and OH-PCBs in maternal and cord blood samples in a population with background levels of PCBs. We analyzed 51 maternal and corresponding cord blood samples in the northern part of the Netherlands. The PCB concentrations in maternal plasma ranged from 2 to 293 ng/g lipid, and OH-PCB concentrations from nondetectable (ND) to 0.62 ng/g fresh weight. In cord plasma, PCB concentrations were 1–277 ng/g lipid, and OH-PCB concentrations, ND to 0.47 ng/g fresh weight. The cord versus maternal blood calculated ratio was 1.28 ± 0.56 for PCBs and 2.11 ± 1.33 for OH-PCBs, expressed per gram of lipid. When expressed per gram fresh weight, the ratios are 0.32 ± 0.15 and 0.53 ± 0.23 for PCBs and OH-PCBs, respectively. A significant correlation between the respective maternal and cord levels for both PCBs and OH-PCBs was found. Our results indicate that OH-PCBs and PCBs are transferred across the placenta to the fetus in concentrations resulting in levels of approximately 50 and 30%, respectively, of those in maternal plasma. More research in humans is needed to evaluate potential negative effects of these endocrine disruptors on the fetus.

Maternal transfer of organohalogenated compounds in sharks and stingrays

“…This aspect of pollutant transfer has received comparatively less attention than biomagnification, although there have been a considerable number of studies regarding mammalian species (e.g. humans, marine mammals) dealing with body burdens of POPs in offspring (Soechitram et al, 2004;Greig et al, 2007;Vanden Berghe et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2012;Mori et al, 2014). Results for several contaminant classes have suggested a difference between prenatal maternal transfer (i.e.…”

Using exposure biomarkers in children to compare between-child and within-child variance and calculate correlations among siblings for multiple environmental chemicals

“…Current laboratory methods allow for measurement of picogram per gram levels or lower for hundreds of exposure biomarkers in relatively small amounts of blood and urine (Needham and Sexton, 2000;Sexton et al, 2004a;Needham et al, 2005). Biomarker data have been collected in children to evaluate environmental exposures to specific chemicals or chemical classes, including lead (Brody et al, 1994), pesticides (Payne-Sturges et al, 2009), environmental tobacco smoke (ETS; Sexton et al, 2004b), volatile organic chemicals (VOCs; Sexton et al, 2005), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs; Soechitram et al, 2004;Fukata et al, 2005), and phthalates (Silva et al, 2004;Wolff et al, 2007). But relatively few studies have been conducted that make longitudinal (over time) measurements of multiple biomarkers in the same children (Cohen Hubal et al, 2000;Needham and Sexton, 2000;Clayton et al, 2003;Sexton et al, 2006Sexton et al, , 2011.…”

Organochlorine and heavy metals in newborns: Results from the Flemish Environment and Health Survey (FLEHS 2002–2006)

“…OCs are easily transferred to the fetus with rates around 25-30% expressed on fresh weight base (Bjerregaard and Hansen, 2000;Butler Walker et al, 2003;Covaci et al, 2002;Soechitram et al, 2004) or around 80% on lipid weight basis (Jaraczewska et al, 2006). Umbilical cord blood levels of Pb have been reported to be about 85 to 90% of those of the mother (Lagerkvist et al, 1996).…”