title: Levels of brominated flame retardants and other pesistent organic pollutants in breast milk samples from Limpopo Province, South Africa.
abstract: The non-occupational exposure to brominated flame retardants, and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was studied by collecting human breast milk samples from mothers residing in Thohoyandou area, a rural district in the Limpopo Province, northern part of South Africa (SA). Of all collected samples to be analysed (n=28), those with large enough milk volumes, (n=14) were quantified for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (9 congeners: BDE-28, 47, 66, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154, and 183) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) on a GC equipped with dual capillary columns and dual electron-capture detectors (ECD). The levels of PBDE congeners (median sumBDE 1.3 ng/g of lipids) and of HBCD were not far from levels generally found in European studies, and this study may be the first report on the presence of PBDEs and HBCD in SA breast milk. On a congener basis, the finding of comparably high BDE-183 levels suggests a specific PBDE usage, or contamination situation in SA. Apart from BFRs, the high DDT levels found in the breast milk from this area (median and maximum sumDDT levels of about 4600 and over 20,000 ng/g of lipids, respectively; n=28) have earlier been reported. In addition, other POPs (PCBs, HCB and HCHs) were found in SA breast milk, at relatively low levels. To conclude, measurable levels of PBDEs and HBCD, and a specific BDE congener pattern, were found in breast milk from the Limpopo province, SA. A number of other POPs, including DDTs in high levels, were also present.
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Division, National Food Administration, P.O. Box 622, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden. poda@slv.se
authors.forename: Per Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Darnerud
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aune
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lignell
authors.forename: Tshinanne
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mutshatshi
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okonkwo
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Botha
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agyei
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; C089796:hexabromocyclododecane