title: Temporal trends in concentrations and total serum burdens of organochlorine compounds from birth until adolescence and the role of breastfeeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of the present study are to assess the temporal trends of organochlorine compounds (OCs) concentrations and total serum burdens from birth until adolescence and the influence of breastfeeding in these temporal trends.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1997 two birth cohort studies were set up in Ribera d'Ebre (N=102) and the island of Menorca (N=482), Spain. Concentrations (ng/mL) of OCs [pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), four isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4'-DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4'-DDE) and seven polychlorobiphenyl congeners (Σ7PCBs)] were measured in cord blood and at the age of 4 and 14years. The total serum burdens (ng) of these compounds were estimated based on the total blood volume (mL) of children at the different ages. We compared median concentrations and total serum burdens of these OCs at the different time-points of follow-up between children of Ribera d'Ebre and Menorca and between breastfed and non-breastfed children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From birth until adolescence concentrations of all OCs drastically reduced. These reductions were mainly derived from the dilution of OCs, associated to an increase in total blood volume of children at the age of 4 and 14years. Despite the reduction in OCs concentrations, the total serum burdens of 4,4'-DDE and Σ7PCBs, were higher in adolescents than at birth. Increases in OCs total serum burden occurred both in breastfed and non-breastfed children, but were significantly higher in the first.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even after decades of banning OCs production and use, current young generations in westernized countries are still bioaccumulating these compounds. Given the potential health effects of OCs, especial attention should be paid in the control of secondary emissions in the environment and in the control of food production and contamination. In countries with endemic malaria it is important to work towards effective alternatives to the use of DDT.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: mgascon@creal.cat.
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gascon
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: mvrijheid@creal.cat.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrijheid
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: merce.gari@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garí
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: marta.fort@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fort
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: joan.grimalt@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Joan O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Grimalt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: dmartinez@creal.cat.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Àrea de Salut de Menorca, IB-SALUT, Fundació Caubet-CIMERA, Mallorca, Spain. Electronic address: maties.torrent@ssib.es.
authors.forename: Maties
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torrent
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain. Electronic address: mguxens@creal.cat.
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guxens
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: jsunyer@creal.cat.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sunyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
keywords: Children; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; Hexachlorobenzene; Hexachlorohexane; Organochlorine compounds; Polychlorobiphenyls