Organochlorine pesticide residues in biological compartments of healthy mothers

Abstract

The present study was conducted to detect placental and breast milk (BM) transfer of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) between biological compartments in healthy lactating mothers. The study explores the effect of parity, breast-feeding and urban/rural residence on body burden of OCP residues. The study included 38 healthy participants submitted to cesarean delivery. Sociodemographic data and specimens of maternal and umbilical sera, adipose tissue (Adp T) and BM were collected. Specimens were analyzed to detect OCP residues. The lindane in BM, o,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) in maternal serum (MS) and total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and o,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene in umbilical serum were the only detected residues in significantly higher frequencies and/or means in the primigravidae than multigravidae. There was a high risk of detecting o,p'-DDD (odds ratio = 8.3) in umbilical serum of the mothers with o,p'-DDD detected in the MS. Total DDT was detected in about 65% of specimens of BM, MS and Adp T and in about 40% of the umbilical serum specimens. There was only a significant positive correlation between total DDT residues in the BM and Adp T. Total DDT residues in umbilical serum and Adp T were significantly higher in the urban than in the rural mothers. The detection of some OCPs in maternal biological compartments suggests their potential placental and BM transfer to her child during pregnancy and lactation, respectively. Furthermore, it might reflect the persistence or recent use of these pesticides in the environment.

Organochlorine pesticide contamination of foods in Africa: incidence and public health significance

“…Mean residues of DDE detected in the three groups examined were 41 ± 5.2, 48 ± 6.2 and 31 ± 2.5 n g/g for breast cancer cases, benign breast disease cases and controls, respectively, indicating significantly lower residues in blood serum from control females (Table 3). In addition, Elserougy et al [31] found a high odds ratio (8.3) in o,p’ -DDD between maternal and umbilical sera of mothers, suggesting potential placental transfer of OCPs between mothers and their children during pregnancy.…”

The Toxicity, Persistence and Mode of Actions of Selected Botanical Pesticides in Africa against Insect Pests in Common Beans, <i>P. vulgaris</i>: A Review

“…Those POPs are associated with human health problems such as cancer. The study done by [40] reported that mothers who are exposed to lindane, can accumulate it into breast milk, o, p-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) can accumulate in maternal serum and total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) can accumulate in the umbilical serum [40]. This reflects their potential placental and breast milk transfer to her child during pregnancy and lactation [40].…”

“…Also, according to the Stockholm Convention, among the 12 Persistence Organic Pollutants (POPs), nine are pesticides including aldrin, chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), mirex and toxaphene [40]. Those POPs are associated with human health problems such as cancer.…”

“…The study done by [40] reported that mothers who are exposed to lindane, can accumulate it into breast milk, o, p-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) can accumulate in maternal serum and total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) can accumulate in the umbilical serum [40]. This reflects their potential placental and breast milk transfer to her child during pregnancy and lactation [40]. In response to the high costs and the negative side effects of synthetic pesticides to the health of human being [41], there is a need for studying botanical pesticides in detail which are affordable and have less or no health problems to the applicators, consumers and do not contaminate the environment to replace the synthetic pesticides.…”

“…Cypermethion, carbaryl, and Lambda-cyhalothrin have shown efficacy to control the pests in the field and in the storage rooms [39]. However, many of the synthetic pesticides such as endosulfan and lindane are either banned, or are expensive to smallholder farmers in Africa, and are persistence in the environment [40].…”