Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
samples is due to the diet rich in fish, considering the statement of Harris et al. (2001) that
the consumption of contaminated food represents an important source of organochlorine
pesticides to humans. The population living in the Madeira River region is characterized
by a high consumption of fish in their diet (Azeredo et al. 2008).
A total of 173 milk samples were collected from 12 regions of Australia during 2002-2003
(Mueller et al. 2008). The OCPs ranged from 200 to 1600 ng/g lipid. The median concen-
tration of DDE, β-HCH, dieldrin, HCB, trans-nonachlor, and p,p′-DDT were 311, 80, 19, 18,
11, and 9 ng/g lipid, respectively. The concentration of p,p′-DDE showed a relatively wide
range from 150 to 870 ng/g lipid. Overall, DDE was the dominating OCP detected, with
a contribution to the sum of OCPs between 53% and 88% followed by β-HCH ranging
between 3% and 42%. This study indicated a substantial decline of OCP concentration
from the early 1980s to the 1990s; little decline could be observed since then (Mueller et al.
2008). Furthermore, the use of multivariate statistics indicated some regional trends with
slightly higher levels of the broadly used insecticides, DDT and HCH, in both historic and
recent samples from Melbourne, whereas, sample pools collected from mothers who lived
in rural Queensland and New South Wales as well as Adelaide and Sydney showed com-
paratively higher levels of heptachlor and dieldrin, both of which have been used for termite
treatment. These results indicate that even 20 years after the discontinuation of usage,
historical use of OCPs rather than exposure via global transport of OCPs is responsible for
continuous low exposure in Australia.
Data on the exposure of breast-fed infants to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
selected OCPs in the Wielkopolska province were collected (Poland) (Szyrwinska and
Lulek 2007). The levels of indicator PCBs, and selected OCPs, including DDT metabo-
lites (HCB, p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDE, and α-, β-, and γ-HCH) were determined in
27 human milk samples, collected in 2000-2001, according to the WHO protocol. The esti-
mated daily intakes (EDIs) of all analytes were calculated. Authors compared results with
those obtained by an analysis of human milk samples from other European and non-
European countries, collected in the same period of time. They stated that median expo-
sure of Wielkopolska first breast-fed infants to OCPs is comparable (EDI HCB = 0.086 µg/kg
bw/day; EDI β-HCH = 0.063 µg/kg bw/day) or higher (EDI p,p′-DDE = 3.495 µg/kg bw/day) than
in other European countries, while exposure to PCBs (EDIΣ7PCB = 0.364 µg/kg bw/day)
is situated at the lower end of the intake of these xenobiotics by breast-fed infants from
different regions of Europe.
Human breast milk samples from primiparous women from Northern (Tromsø) (N = 10)
and Southern Norway (Oslo) (N = 19) collected in 2000-2001 were analyzed with respect to
hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), chlordane (CHL), DDT, mirex,
and toxaphene (CHBs). The sum of DDTs was the major organochlorine (OC) (170 and 110
ng/g lipid weight, respectively). Other OCs were found in lower levels. The concentra-
tion of the sum of HCHs was significantly higher in the breast milk samples from Oslo
compared to Tromsø (p < 0.05). The present study showed that concentrations of OCs in
the breast milk of primiparous women decreased 50-60% since 1991 and that this trend is
continuing (Polder et al. 2008).
The OCPs were determined in 423 breast milk samples from women living in Norway
(Polder et al. 2009). The samples were collected in six countries, representing South, Central,
and North Norway in 2002-2006. Initial results showed significantly lower levels of OCPs
in breast milk from ethnic Norwegians (N = 377) compared to ethnic non-Norwegians
(N = 46). Median concentrations (range) of p,p′-DDE, HCB, β-HCH, and oxychlordane in
the breast milk samples of the Norwegian women, all parities included, were 41 (5.4-492),
11 (3.6-24), 4.7 (0.9-37), and 2.8 (0.5-16) ng/g lipid weight, respectively. Results indicated
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