engleski

Intake of organochlorine compounds via breast-feeding (Croatia)

The daily intake of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p, p'-DDE via breast-feeding was calculated for a group of children (N=139) hospitalized fpr various disorders between 1987 and 1995. Mothers milk samples were collected and analysed for the presence of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs ; results were summarized and accepted for publication (Krauthacker et al., Chemosphere, in press). Based on those results the daily intakes were calculated. Total PCBs (compared to Aroclor 1260) and p, p'-DDE determined by gas chromatography were found in all analysed samples and median concentrations were 220 ľg/kg milk fat and 318 ľg/kg milk fat, resp. Two to three times higher levels were found in milk of mothers (N=12) nursing neonates with impaired neurodevelopmental competencies or inappropriate arroussal reactions. No difference was observed among milk of mothers nursing children with other health disorders or healthy ones. Daily intake via mothers milk was calculated assuming consumption of 170 ml of breast milk containing 3.0% milk fat (median value of 139 samples) per kilogram body weight and median values of PCBs and p, p'-DDE levels. The calculated daily intakes were 1.12 ľg/kg b.w. of PCBs and 1.62 ľg/kg b.w of p, p'-DDE (2.94 ľg/kg b.w. of PCBs and 5.06 ľg/kg b.w. of p, p'-DDE for infants with neurological disorders). The intakes were lower than the acceptable daily intake suggested for the DDT-complex by the World Helath Organization (WHO ; 20 ľg/kg b.w.) and agreed well with the PCBs intake assessed by the WHO for European Countries (4.2 ľg/kg b.w.). Although the levels in milk from mothers nursing infants with neurological disorders were higher the intake is not over acceptable levels suggesting in general that there is no reason to discourage exclusive breast-feeding for six month.

organochlorine pesticides; p; p'-DDE; polychlorinated biphenyls; levels in human milk; infants with neurological disorders

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