title: Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDE) in human milk from Bizerte, Tunisia.
abstract: Methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) were determined in 36 human milk samples collected in 2010 from healthy mothers living in Bizerte region from Tunisia. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry working with negative ion chemical ionization (GC-NCI-MS) was used to identify and quantify residue levels on a lipid basis of organo-brominated compounds. Among the 8 examined MeO-PBDE congeners 6-MeO-BDE-47, 2'-MeO-BDE-68, 4'-MeO-BDE-49 and 5'-MeO-BDE-100 were detected in human milk at different levels and frequencies. This is the first study reporting 5'-MeO-BDE-100 and 4'-MeO-BDE-49 levels in human milk samples. Levels of ∑MeO-PBDEs ranged from 0.23 to 4.70ngg(-)(1) lipid weight (lw) in the samples, with a mean and median value of 1.52 and 1.11ngg(-1)lw respectively. Concentrations of ∑MeO-PBDEs in human milk were negatively correlated with age of primapara mothers (p<0.05) and no age-dependency was observed for multipara mothers. Primapara mothers had higher levels of MeO-PBDEs than multipara mothers however no statistical significance was observed. A weak correlation between ∑PBDEs and ∑MeO-PBDEs was found but not between BDE-47 and its methoxylated analog 6-MeO-BDE-47, suggesting differences in exposure pathways for these contaminants in humans and further supporting the hypothesis that MeO-PBDEs were likely not only originated from PBDE precursors.
authors: Laboratory of Heteroatom Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna, Tunisia.
authors: Sihem
authors: S
authors: Ben Hassine
authors: Laboratory of Heteroatom Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna, Tunisia.
authors: Walid
authors: W
authors: Ben Ameur
authors: Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: eeeqam@cid.csic.es.
authors: Ethel
authors: E
authors: Eljarrat
authors: Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Damià
authors: D
authors: Barceló
authors: Laboratory of Heteroatom Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna, Tunisia.
authors: Soufiane
authors: S
authors: Touil
authors: Laboratory of Heteroatom Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna, Tunisia.
authors: Mohamed Ridha
authors: MR
authors: Driss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D010298:Parity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated
keywords: Bizerte; Human milk; MeO-PBDEs; Parity/age dependency; Tunisia