Persistent Organochlorine Compounds in Human Breast Milk from Mothers Living in Penang and Kedah, Malaysia

Abstract

This study determined the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine (OC) pesticides, and tris(4-chlorophenyl) methane (TCPMe) in human breast milk samples collected in 2003 from primipara mothers living in Penang, Malaysia. OCs were detected in all the samples analyzed with DDTs, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), and PCBs as the major contaminants followed by chlordane compounds (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and TCPMe. The residue levels of DDTs, HCHs, and CHLs were comparable to or higher than those in general populations of other countries, whereas PCBs and HCB were relatively low. In addition, dioxins and related compounds were also detected with a range of dioxin equivalent concentrations from 3.4 to 24 pg-TEQs/g lipid wt. Levels of toxic equivalents (TEQs) were slightly higher than those in other developing countries but still much lower than those of industrialized nations. One donor mother contained a high TEQs level, equal to the mean value in human breast milk from Japan, implying that some of the residents in Malaysia may be exposed to specific pollution sources of dioxins and related compounds. No association was observed between OCs concentrations and maternal characteristics, which might be related to a limited number of samples, narrow range of age of the donor mothers, and/or other external factors. The recently identified endocrine disrupter, TCPMe, was also detected in all human breast milk samples of this study. A significant positive correlation was observed between TCPMe and DDTs, suggesting that technical DDT might be a source of TCPMe in Malaysia. The present study provides a useful baseline for future studies on the accumulations of OCs in the general population of Malaysia.

Non-Target Screening Method for the Identification of Persistent and Emerging Organic Contaminants in Seafood and Sediment from Jakarta Bay

“…Ratio of DDT metabolites over parent compound is often applies to identify their emission behavior (Schwarzbauer et al, 2003). The presence of p,p'-DDE in sediment and in animal samples in the present study supported that this metabolite is the main degradation product of DDT which is also in line with the earlier investigations (Monirith et al, 2000;Boonyatumanond et al, 2002;Sudaryanto et al, 2005;Bayen et al, 2003).…”

Organochlorine Pesticide Level in Breast Milk

“…6 Malez ya' da ya pı lan bir ça lış ma da; an ne özel lik le ri ile OKP ara sın da an lam lı bir iliş ki bu lun ma dı ğı be lirtil mek te dir. 20 Ben zer ola rak ça lış ma mız da da an nenin sos yo-de mog ra fik özel lik le ri ile an ne sü tün de sap ta nan OKP ara sın da her han gi bir iliş ki bu lunma mak ta dır.…”

Evaluation of Organic Environmental Pollutants Detected in Human Milk

“…In some developing country, the use of OCPs had not been prohibited until recently, this may attribute in higher concentrations of OCPs. 6,7) Abballe et al reported that the milk from the mothers in Venice, Italy (industrial area) had PCOCs greater than those from the mothers in Rome, Italy (urban area). 8) Zhao et al reported that the concentrations of PCBs in milk from the mothers in Luqiao, China (industrial waste disposal area) were higher than those in Pingqiao, China (agricultural area).…”