Relationship between paired cord blood and milk POPs levels as a tool for assessing perinatal exposure, a pilot study

ABSTRACT

The long-term health threats posed to humans exposed to pollutants acting as endocrine disruptors (EDs) is yet to be quantified. There is insufficient knowledge about the sources and magnitude of exposure to selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during the most sensitive period of fetal development, suggesting the need for a study. Organochlorine pesticides, classified as being persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and potential EDs, were also included in this analysis. Xenobiotics were measured in paired fetal cord blood and maternal breast milk samples. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of PCB-101, PBDE-47, and PBDE-99 between maternal milk and cord blood according to the Wilcoxon test, and the Spearman tests demonstrated significant correlations in β-HCH, γ-HCH, p,p'-DDE, and PCB-118 between maternal milk and cord blood from the same subjects. All others tested (HCB, β-HCH, γ-HCH, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDT, PCB-101, PCB-138, PCB-153, PCB-170, PCB-180, PBDE-153) demonstrated significant differences in the same subject women with concentrations significantly higher in maternal milk than in cord blood. The presence of these compounds found in cord blood and maternal milk indicates that both are a source of perinatal exposure to these pollutants. This study opens up the opportunity for new research in estimating a prenatal exposure based on breast milk concentrations of organohalogen compounds.

KEYWORDS:

• breast milk
• cord blood
• organohalogen contaminants
• Poland

Acknowledgments

Samples were collected from women participating in the project “Biopersistent organochlorines in diet and human fertility. Epidemiologic studies of time to pregnancy and semen quality in Inuit and European populations” (acronym INUENDO) under the EU 5th Framework Programme.

Funding

This study was supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Project No. N N404 026935.