Level of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls (PCDD/Fs, PCBs) in human milk and the input to infant body burden.
This study determined PCDD/F and PCB levels in human milk, examined factors associated with levels of contamination, and assessed the infant body burden from breast-feeding. The congeners of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs, and indicator PCBs were analyzed by HRGC/HRMS for 36 human milk samples from healthy women, aged 20-35 years, from December 2000 to November 2001 in central Taiwan. Mean levels of WHO-TEQs in human milk were 10.5 (95% CI=8.8-12.2) and 14.5 (95% CI=12.5-16.5) pg-TEQ/g lipid for those <29 and > or =29 years old, respectively. PCB 138 concentration significantly predicted total WHO-TEQs with r2=0.84 (p <0.001). Milk level of dioxin-TEQ was 9.63 pg-TEQ/g lipid (95% CI=7.0-13.2) in those with a yearly income $29,000 compared to 6.3 pg-TEQ/g lipid (95% CI=5.2-7.6) for those whose yearly income was $18,000 per year. Women who reported being Buddhist (64.3 ng/glipid) had significantly higher indicator PCB concentrations than did those who reported being Taoist (35.3 ng/g lipid). The monthly dioxin intake of exclusively breastfed infants decreased with increasing duration of lactation. The cumulative dose of exclusively breastfed infants (76.5 ng TEQ, 95% CI=69.7-83.3) was significantly greater compared to that of formula-fed infants (CI=16.4-17.0) at one year and to that of infants at birth (3.90 ng TEQ, 95% CI=3.6-4.2). Our findings suggest that breast-feeding should be strongly encouraged for infants in Taiwan.
Chao
H-R
HR
Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institute, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wang
S-L
SL
Lee
C-C
CC
Yu
H-Y
HY
Lu
Y-K
YK
Päpke
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D001822:Body Burden; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004032:Diet; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004493:Education; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D012067:Religion; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D001572:Benzofurans; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; C023614:dibenzofuran; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C020887:dibenzo(1,4)dioxin