Toxicokinetic Modeling Of Selected Pops In Human Breast Milk Biomonitoring Study – Risk Assessment Tool

Abstract

Introduction Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are known for their harmful effects on the environment, where they can accumulate and pass through food-chains into humans. This study is focused on the risks assessment of the human health outcomes for pregnant women in the Czech Republic (1994-2009; more than 4750 samples) connected to the exposure of POPs. Samples of breast milk were collected and measured (selected POPs: PCBs, HCB, HCHs, DDT, DDE and DDD) in the biomonitoring of National Institute of Public Health in the Czech Republic. Methods The calculations of health risks were carried out using modified PBPK model. The primary route for exposure in PBPK model was assumed to be through the dietary intake and inhalation exposure. Model was reversed to predict chronic daily doses from the biological data. The final predicted doses from breast milk, in the form of chronic daily intakes (CDImilk), were compared with the intakes from Czech Dietary Exposure Monitoring (CDIfood). Results Final predicted chronic daily doses from the milk (CDImilk) were generally higher than predicted doses from the food consumption (CDIfood) (except lindane). The highest probabilistic risks were estimated for PCBs. These facts might indicate new, unknown exposure, which was discussed. Conclusions The higher levels CDImilk can indicate new / unknown / unexpected exposure (often underestimated dermal exposure, specific dietary exposure scenarios,…). The long-term data indicates decreasing trends of POPs concentrations in breast milk in Central EUROPE. New approach for Human health risk assessment by using toxicokinetic exposure reconstruction was developed.