title: Congener-specific analysis of PCBs in human milk from Kazakhstan.
abstract: We have characterized the spectrum of PCB contaminants in human milk samples from 95 women in Kazakhstan using GC/MS congener specific analysis. In these samples, 12 PCBs comprised 83% of total PCB concentration, and were similar to the major PCBs reported in other published human milk studies. By summing concentration levels of 80 PCB congeners in the Kazakhstan samples, a mean total PCB concentration of 368 ng/g fat was obtained. This is lower than levels reported in human milk samples from Western Europe. Six indicator PCBs were summed in Kazakh milk samples; their aggregate value was similar to literature values published for human milk from the former Soviet Union. Using WHO's recent TEF scheme, the mean sum of PCDD/F, coplanar PCB, mono-ortho PCB, and di-ortho PCB TEQ is 42 pg TEQ/g fat.
authors.affiliation: Hazardous Materials Laboratory, California Public Health Foundation, Berkeley 94704, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: M X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Petreas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Visita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKinney
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sy
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stephens
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007623:Kazakhstan; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014211:2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran