Pesticide Residues in Mother’s Milk - Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution - page 547

the external environment, food, water, and air (Malarvannan et al. 2008). Different routes
of exposure are dietary intake, particularly from the consumption of fish (Campoy et al.
2001a; Harris et al. 2001; Yu et al. 2007; Raab et al. 2008), meat (Campoy et al. 2001a; Yu
et al. 2007; Raab et al. 2008; Tutu et al. 2011), milk (Schinas et al. 2000; Raab et al. 2008), and
vegetables (Campoy et al. 2001a); contaminated diet (Kumar et al. 2006a); food commodi-
ties (Campoy et al. 2001a; Kumar et al. 2006a; Alle et al. 2009); agricultural field (Kumar
et al. 2006a); soil and air pollution (Waliszewski et al. 2009); sediments, water, biota, crops,
and human fluid (Tutu et al. 2011); and food, ambient and indoor air, dust, water, and
soil (Devanathan et al. 2009). Contamination of mother's milk by OCPs has been reported
throughout the world. As a general rule, milk and milk products followed by edible oil
were found to contain the highest levels of pesticide residues in India (Devanathan et al.
2009).
17.4 Hazards of Pesticide Residues in Mother's Milk
17.4.1 Types of Exposure and Hazards
Different groups and segments of a population are exposed to pesticides in different ways
and in different degrees. Humans can be exposed to these pollutants through dietary
intake, inhalation, dermal adsorption, occupational exposure, and prenatal transfer from
mother to fetus (Suzuki et al. 2005).
17.4.2 Assessment of Human Exposure
In human beings, the pesticide residue level is an index of exposure, which may be acute,
occupational, or incidental. In the general population, the residue level is a measure of
the incidental exposure and/or average levels of the persistent pesticide, which is mainly
through the diet. The main dietary source is fatty food, such as meat, fish, poultry, and
dairy products (Sonawane 1995; Campoy et al. 2001a; Harris et al. 2001; Yu et al. 2007;
Raab et al. 2008; Tutu et al. 2011). Continuous exposure primarily occurs through the con-
sumption of food irrespective of the levels of pesticide residues detected in that area. Food
imported from other countries that still use OCPs may be a source of human exposure
(Saeed et al. 2000). Exposure via inhalation of the ambient air is thought to be insignificant
when compared with dietary intake. Prenatal exposure to OCPs is possible via the
placenta. Breast-feeding is the major source of infant exposure.
A list of the 12 most dangerous POPs and their uses and known health effects is pre-
sented in Table 17.2 (Adeola 2004).
17.4.3 Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification of Pesticides
The continued use of huge amounts of different kinds of poisonous agricultural pesti-
cides increases their concentration in an organism and multiplies it through the food
chain (biomagnification). Environmental chemicals find their way into breast milk
through the dietary route through the food chain. These chemicals begin their jour-
ney in the environment by being absorbed into water, air, and soil. As smaller animals
ingest these chemicals, some of them are stored in the animals' fat tissues for a long