title: Organochlorine and heavy metals in newborns: results from the Flemish Environment and Health Survey (FLEHS 2002-2006).
abstract: To collect regional information on internal levels of pollutants in humans in Flanders, 1196 mother-child pairs were systematically recruited in 2002-2003 via 25 maternities across Flanders. Cd, Pb, PCB congeners 118, 170, 138, 153 and 180, p,p'-DDE - a key metabolite of DDT- and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in cord blood or plasma. Cd was detected in 64% of the samples (geometric mean 0.21 microg/L cord blood). p,p'-DDE (110 ng/g plasma lipids) and Pb (14.7 microg/L blood), were measurable in nearly all samples. The individual PCB congeners could be detected in 40 to 81% of the newborns (138+153+180=64.4 ng/g plasma lipids). HCB (18.9 ng/g plasma lipids) and dioxin-like compounds measured by DR-CALUX(R) (23 pg CALUX-TEQ/g lipids) were above detection limit in more than 75% of the samples. Age and smoking habits of the mothers, did not influence the cord blood Pb and Cd levels. The organochlorines increased 4 to 9% per year of the mother's age (partial R(2)=0.05 to 0.22). Mothers had 2.6% less PCBs in cord blood (partial R(2)=0.02) for each unit increase in pre-pregnancy BMI. Season of delivery, breastfeeding previous children or consumption of local dairy products, were minor determinants. Up to 20% of the variability in organochlorine concentrations was explained by residence area. It was concluded that the place of birth in Flanders is an important determinant of the load of pollutants measured at the start of life. This underlines the validity of human biomonitoring on (relatively) small geographical scale.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Risk & Health, Toxicology Group, Flemish Institute of Technological Research, 2400 Mol, Belgium. gudrun.koppen@vito.be
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koppen
authors.forename: Elly
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Den Hond
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nelen
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van De Mieroop
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruckers
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilau
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keune
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Larebeke
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covaci
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van De Weghe
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schroijen
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Desager
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stalpaert
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baeyens
authors.forename: Greet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoeters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood; D003710:Demography; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000097:blood; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005843:Geography; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls