Occurrence of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) in human breast milk from three Asian countries

Abstract

The environmental contamination by benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) has received consider attention due to their long-term and widespread usage in various consumer and industrial products in accordance with solar UV radiation increase. The present study shows the baseline data of BUVSs in human breast milk from several areas in Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Total concentrations of the 8 BUVSs in breast milk ranged from <MDL (method detection limit) to 1100 ng/g lipid wt. in present study. Among the 8 BUVS compounds targeted, the highest concentration of UV-9 was found in breast milk samples collected from Vietnam. The concentrations of BUVSs in human breast milk were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in Vietnam (300 ± 240 ng/g lipid wt.) than in the Philippines (100 ± 130 ng/g lipid wt.) and Japan (28 ± 34 ng/g lipid wt.). The estimated daily intake of BUVSs by infants through breast milk was one or two orders of magnitude lower than the reference dose levels.