Factors that influence the level of contamination of human milk with poly-chlorinated organic compounds

Abstract

Polychlorinated organic compounds (POCs) accumulate in tissues with a high fat content. Nursed babies are exposed to POCs through the fat in human milk. Exposure levels are estimated to exceed those considered acceptable as a lifelong daily dose. Nevertheless, mothers are still positively advised as to breast-feeding. In 1988, a survey on contamination of human milk with POCs was carried out in The Netherlands. Levels of ten different organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), eight polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and seventeen polychlorinated dibenzodioxin (PCDD) and -dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners were determined by use of gaschromatographic techniques with either electron-capture or mass-spectrometric detection. Information on some factors potentially influencing the level of contamination of human milk was obtained by questionnaires. The estimated response amounted to 71 percent. Regression analysis was used to investigate associations between determining factors and specific contaminants. It appeared that maternal age was positively associated with POC concentrations. Traditional omnivorous diet was associated with lower concentrations of POCs when compared to all other types of diet. The post-pregnancy Quetelet Index [by definition calculated as weight/(length)2] and the cumulated period of previous breast-feeding were negatively associated with POC concentrations. In conclusion, chemical behavior and environmental distribution patterns of the POCs measured in this study, if translated to factors of human exposure, are in accordance with the study results. Exposure levels will decrease if emissions can be further reduced. Still, in the near future, maternal age will probably rise (Vermunt 1992; Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics 1992), whereas the duration of lactation in expected to decline. Consequently, there might be an increase in average POC-concentrations in human milk in the forthcoming years.