title: Levels of organochlorine pesticides in human milk from central Taiwan.
abstract: The present study determined the residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in human milk collected in central Taiwan between December 2000 and November 2001. The OCPs were analyzed by GC/MS for 36 human milk samples from healthy women ranging between 20 and 36 years of age. The predominant OCPs were p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, alpha-CHL, heptachlor epoxide, heptachlor, beta-HCH, and gamma-HCH, with median levels of 228, 19, 7.4, 4.0, 2.3, 1.2, and 0.8 ng/g lipid, respectively. The residues of OCPs in human milk from central Taiwan were comparable to those described in results from Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Japan, and were significantly lower than those from investigations in Asian countries, including China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Low DDE/DDT ratio (mean=13.6, SD=6.54) indicated that residual OCPs in human milk mainly originate from past exposure. A notable decrease in DDT levels ( sigma DDT=333 ng/g lipid) in human milk was found in this study compared to results from the previous two decades ( sigma DDT=3,595 ng/g lipid). Hypothetically, the level of alpha-CHL was significantly associated with total TEQ levels in Taiwanese human milk because of the sources of food contaminant, i.e. animal fat. Based on low OCP levels in Taiwanese human milk and low estimated median daily intake of total DDTs for a breastfed infant (1,358 ng/kg/day) with the assumption of an infant weighting 4 kg and consuming 699 g milk per day in the first month after birth, the Taiwanese policy of breast-feeding promotion was supported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, No.1, Shuehfu Rd., Neipu 912, Pingtung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: How-Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Shu-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ta-Chang
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xu-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010573:Pesticide Residues