Pesticide Residues in Mother’s Milk - Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution - page 553

Dieldrin, heptachlor, and endosulfan are closely related to cyclodiene pesticides.
Surveys conducted in Rajasthan (India) have demonstrated that the human milk samples
analyzed had quantifiable concentrations of dieldrin, heptachlor, and endosulfan (Kumar
et al. 2006a).
The comparison of Indian data with those of the DDTs, CHILs and HCB in mother's milk
from some other Asian countries (Tanabe and Kunisue 2007) showed that Indian levels
of were lower than some Asian countries and comparable to some others, whereas HCH
levels were higher than almost all the countries except a location in China ( Table 17.5 ),
indicating the prominence of HCH contamination in India.
HCH isomers, endosulfan, malathion, chlorpyrifos, and methyl-parathion were
monitored in human milk samples from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, by Sanghi et al.
(2003). The endosulfan concentrations were the highest and exceeded the total HCH,
chlorpyrifos, and malathion concentrations by 3.5-, 1.5-, and 8.4-fold, respectively.
Through breast milk, infants consumed 8.6 times more endosulfan and 4.1 times more
malathion than the average daily intake levels recommended by the World Health
Organization. A correlation analysis (r values) between mothers' age and the content
of the chemicals accumulated in breast milk indicated a substantial degree of corre-
lation for malathion. The other chemicals showed low to negligible correlation with
donor age.
17.6.3 Levels of OCPs in the Asian Population
Levels of OCPs in mother's milk collected from the general public in Asian countries such
as Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and Japan (Kunisue et al.
2002, 2004a,b; Minh et al. 2004; Tue et al. 2010; Malarvannan et al. 2008; Sudaryanto et al.
2005, 2006; Zhou et al. 2011; Haraguchi et al. 2009; Hui et al. 2008; Wong et al. 2002; Kunisue
et al. 2006) are illustrated in Table 17.5. In general, in Asian developing countries, DDT
levels are relatively high, followed by HCHs, HCB, and CHLs. Among Asian developing
countries, the concentrations of DDTs in human breast milk from China (Guangzhou),
Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia are relatively higher than those from other countries
(Table 17.5).
Mean concentrations of DDTs in human breast milk were 2100 ng/g and 2300 ng/g in
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively, and the levels in the primiparas group were
higher than those in the multiparas group. This difference indicates that excretion via
milk during lactation is an important factor that reduces DDT burden in nursing mothers.
Further examination of the composition of DDTs revealed that p,p′-DDE is the predomi-
nant compound accounting for 85%-90% of the total DDT concentrations. Interestingly,
DDT concentrations in Vietnamese human breast milk were among the highest values
reported for the countries surveyed. This observation again suggests the recent use of
DDTs in Vietnam and that Vietnam may be a potential source of DDTs in the south Asian
region (Minh et al. 2004). In Vietnam, higher levels of DDTs in sediments from populated
locations as compared to those from paddy field were reported, indicating recent applica-
tion of DDTs for public health purposes such as malaria control rather than for agriculture.
In addition, the elevated residue levels of DDT in wild avian species and foodstuffs from
Vietnam were probably related to more recent exposure to technical mixtures of these
pesticides used in agricultural and suburban/rural areas (Tue et al. 2010). This similar-
ity in the contamination pattern of OCPs in the human milk of Cambodian population
and fish population of Cambodia indicates that DDT is the dominant contaminant in the
Cambodian ecosystem (Kunisue et al. 2004b).