Dependence of PCDD and PCDF levels in human milk on various parameters in Germany II

Chemosphere,Vol.25, Nos.7-10, pp 1015-1020, 1992 Printed in Great Britain

0045-6535/92 $5.00 + 0.00 Pergamon Press Ltd.

D E P E N D E N C E OF PCDD AND PCDF LEVELS IN H U M A N M I L K ON V A R I O U S PARAMETERS IN GERMANY II

H. Beck, A. DroB, and W. M a t h a r Bundesgesundheitsamt,

P.O. Box 330013, Germany

D-1000 Berlin 33,

ABSTRACT

During and

the

12th

breast-feeding

week

decreased

period, to

a

85

I-TEq and

levels

75

%

in milk

level,

to be h i g h e s t for w o m e n h a v i n g their first child lower

respectively,

for w o m e n w i t h the

the

PCDD/PCDF

fat/year

or

vegetarian

0.12

diet

body pg

The r e g i o n a l

there

are

dependence

especially

shown

OCDD,

were

levels

child

found

referred

to

(26 and

for

be

0.71

in

the mass

the

in c i g a r e t t e

PCDD/PCDF index,

two

last

smoke

and

I-TEq/g

for

diet were

19 pg I-

the increase

pg

milk

levels of the samples

in

on body

although

to

Levels

on a r e g u l a r

of the

differences

PCDD/PCDF

were

calculated fat/year.

to those

distribution

evident

of

panelling

was

milk

in c o m p a r i s o n

lower.

no

burden

TCDD/g

6th

(33 pg I-TEq/g milk fat) and

second and third

TEq/g milk fat). As to the d e p e n d e n c e on the age of the mothers, of

in the

(i00 %). PCDD/PCDF levels in m i l k were found

levels in m i l k of the first w e e k

distinctly

collected

milk

women

only

on

slightly

indicates that

concentrations.

smoking

and

parameters in some

a

indoor

No wood

PCDDs/PCDFs,

cases

in

indoor

air.

KEYWORDS

2,3,7,8-TCDD,

PCDD,

PCDF,

TCDD equivalents,

human milk,

d e p e n d e n c e of levels.

INTRODUCTION

The p r e s e n c e

of PCDDs

and PCDFs

(PCDDs/Fs)

in human milk samples rose public

concern and q u e s t i o n s

about the safety of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g

humans to t h e s e t o x i c

substances.

6-82, mean: in human

30 pg I-TEq/g m i l k

milk

have

been

fat)

observed

and the exposure

A f t e r the levels have become known

of

(range:

and s i m i l a r i t i e s of the c o n g e n e r pattern

in G e r m a n y

degree of c o n t a m i n a t i o n were searched. 1015

[1,2],

factors

influencing

the

1016

SAMPLES

In c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h a d e t a i l e d q u e s t i o n n a i r e a total of 112 r a n d o m l y selected samples their

were

first

investigated. child

Moreover,

in order

to

study

3 samples the

each

from

dependence

d u r a t i o n of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g were taken in the first,

of

16 m o t h e r s

PCDD/F

having

levels

6th and 12th week

on the (from 2

mothers no 3rd samples).

EXPERIMENTAL

Fat e x t r a c t i o n

was p e r f o r m e d using the AOAC method,

hexane and ether

[3]. Prior to the clean-up,

i n c l u d i n g p a r t i t i o n with

13C12-1abelled internal

were added to c o r r e c t the results by means of the r e c o v e r y rate. was

carried

out

modifications

according

[5,6].

to the

The

final

procedure

by

Smith

et al.

extract was c o n c e n t r a t e d

#i and a n a l y z e d for P C D D s / F s by H R G C - H R M S

standards

The clean-up

[4],

with

minor

by e v a p o r a t i o n

to 30

[5,6].

RESULTS

Regional

differences:

[n=l12,

former r e s u l t s

differences vary

in

the

The r e g i o n a l

PCDD/F

by other

Germany were e x a m i n e d of

the

body

burden

distributed, mothers

no

of

Only

produced

in

residents,

in very a

the

sources

samples

of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g

food on

cases,

e.g.

of

from other regions of

in

the

is

especially

contamination

for the m a i n p r o p o r t i o n Germany

is

geographic

if a large

area

are no evident

[7]). This statement

w h i c h also includes a s i m i l a r i t y

concentrations

levels w i t h the n u m b e r

and

levels

contaminated

in human samples w e r e found

Number

[16-18]

of

special

heavily

elevated

although

laboratories w h e r e

humans

dependence

levels of the samples

rural and urban areas

[8-15]. As food intake a c c o u n t s

should be expected,

pattern.

of the

indicates that there

concentrations

(different types of industry,

has been c o n f i r m e d

distribution

[5] are included]

of the food

directly

for 2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 - P e C D F

by

local

and HxCDFs

[19,20].

periods:

Table

of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g

1 clearly shows periods.

a d e c r e a s e of PCDD/F

Mean PCDD/F

levels

in milk

fat were found to be h i g h e s t for w o m e n with the first child

(33 pg I-TEq)

distinctly

(26 and

TEq,

lower

for w o m e n with the

respectively).

concentrations first child.

This

in m i l k

fat

of

in the congener

proportion

consumed

uniformly

residence

means as

second

decreases

compared

and third of

to m i l k

21 fat

child %

and

43

%

from m o t h e r s

and

19 pg I-

for

I-TEq

with

their

T h e s e r e s u l t s are in a c c o r d a n c e with those p u b l i s h e d by F~rst e_tt

a_!l. [8,15] and L i n d s t r ~ m et al.

[21].

1017

Table

i.

M e a n P C D D / F levels in milk on n u m b e r of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g

No. No.

of b.-f. p e r i o d s of samples

(pg/g fat) d e p e n d i n g (b.-f.) periods.

1 34

2 23

3 6

Congener 2,3,7,8-TCDF 2,3,7,8-TCDD 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF EHxCDF 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD EHxCDD 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD OCDF OCDD

2.9 4.3 1.0 24 13 8.6 8.9 3.6 21 i0 48 9.7 68 9.9 56 1.8 292

2.9 3.1 1.0 18 i0 7.4 7.2 2.9 18 9.6 39 7.9 57 7.6 44 0.9 252

2.1 2.3 1.0 13 7.8 5.1 5.7 2.7 13 6.6 28 5.8 41 5.9 32 0.3 187

32.9

25.6

18.7

I-TEq

Table

2.

Mean decrease (%) of PCDD/F levels in m i l k within one b r e a s t - f e e d i n g period referred to concentrations in milk samples of first week (100

%).

W e e k s after d e l i v e r y Congener

6

12

2,3,7,8-TCDD 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD EHxCDF EHxCDD 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD OCDD

15 5 I0 i0 25 15 30 45

25 20 20 i0 30 5 20 40

I-TEq

15

25

Because of tow revers for 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 1,2,3,7,8PeCDF and OCDF these congeners were only taken into consideration for [-TEq.

Duration

of b r e a s t - f e e d i n q :

selected

samples)

feeding week).

period As

having

(sample

shown

in

Three

their I:

Table

samples

first

first 2,

each

child

were

week,

sample

I-TEq

levels

of milk

from

collected 2:

6th

were

week, 15 %

16 m o t h e r s

during

the

sample and

25 %

(pre-

breast3:

12th lower

1018

pg I-TEq/g Fat

pg TCDD/g Fat

70-

60

60

ill ...........................................................................

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

....................................

' ..............................

'~ . . . . . . . . . . .

8 .....................................................

40 ......................................... i

i ......................

.

•

6 ................... i........... : 3 0 ........... "

20

"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

'~ . . . . . . . . . .

•

10

~

"

''

......................

• ............................................. ~

i

.......................

.

.................................................................................................

0

16

i

i

i

i

i

20

26

30

36

40

O I

46

.

15

.

.

20

.

25

Age (Year)

Fig.

for the

i.

samples

lower

6 and

The m a i n

chlorinated

12 weeks

after d e l i v e r y

compared

H i g h e r c h l o r i n a t e d P C D D s / F s were e l i m i n a t e d

chlorinated

than PCDFs.

36

40

PCDD/F

congeners.

Also,

d e c r e a s e was congeners

PCDDs

samples

eliminated

the

first weeks.

taken

in

levels of

at a higher rate

were

found during

from

with

the

more

In

addition

to

the

confirmed

the

preselected

for

the

result

other

that

samples

group

PCDD/F

of

mentioned samples

levels

in

above,

which

human

the

were

milk

week

were

[22].

evaluation

randomly

from

rapidly

Some higher

12th

slightly h i g h e r in levels if c o m p a r e d with samples from the 6th week

questionnaires

45

2 , 3 , 7 , 8 - T C D D and I-TEq levels (pg/g) in human m i l k fat from p r i m i p a r o u s mothers versus age.

taken

the first week. than

.

30 Age (Year)

of

selected

mothers

having

their first and second child d e c r e a s e with the d u r a t i o n of the b r e a s t - f e e d i n g period

Age:

[i]. Similar results were p u b l i s h e d by other authors

Figure

1 suggests

an increase of the

the age of p r i m i p a r o u s m o t h e r s milk

fat

per

year).

A

very

found for h u m a n fat samples per year

vegetarian

from

mean:

food: diet

(increase of 0.12 pg TCDD and 0.71 pg I-TEq/g

similar

increase

of

PCDD/F

levels

with

age was

(increase of 0.12 pg TCDD and 0.77 pg I-TEq/g fat

The

range:

PCDD/F

levels

(2,3,7,8-TCDD:

26 p g / g

60 m o t h e r s

I-TEq:

2 , 3 , 7 , 8 - T C D D and I-TEq levels with

[i]).

Veqetarian

40,

[14,15].

fat)

were

on a regular 10-57,

mean:

range:

slightly diet 29

in

milk

samples

2.3-5.2, lower

mean:

than

(2,3,7,8-TCDD:

pg/g

fat).

The

the

from 3.7;

6

mothers

I-TEq:

levels

on

range:

in m i l k

range:

0.9-9.7,

small

differences

a

14-

samples

mean: may

3.7; be

1019

a t t r i b u t e d to the fact that the v e g e t a r i a n diet was f o l l o w e d for a relatively short

period

only

and

milk

and

milk

products

being

important

sources

of

P C D D s / F s w e r e not always e x c l u d e d from the diet. Two

samples

from v e g a n s

with

7.8

and

14.0 pg

I-TEq/g

milk

fat were

included

in the n u m b e r of the samples from the vegetarians. It

is

striking

that

the

minimum

regular diet

is lower than that

Due

small

to

the

number

of

I-TEq

level

in

milk

from

mothers

with

a

in m i l k from m o t h e r s with a v e g e t a r i a n diet. such

cases,

these

data

cannot

claim

to

be

representative.

Smoking

habits:

smoking

could

Differences

not

be

of PCDD/F

seen.

levels

Differences

in human

milk

in c o n c e n t r a t i o n s

due

to cigarette

between

17 smokers

and 49 n o n - s m o k e r s w e r e found neither for I-TEqs nor for individual congeners (both

groups:

29

concentrations and 0 . i

pg

pg

I-TEq

and

e.g.

in c i g a r e t t e s

have

been

TEq/cigarette

[23],

270

pg

OCDD/g

reported

elevated

to be

levels

milk 3.4

normally

[15] found s l i g h t l y lower levels for smokers.

Indoor

panellinq:

with

Until

pentachlorophenol

OCDD.

In

houses

some

furnished

including 84-588, from

OCDD

mean:

those

range:

Body

cases,

in

78-1018,

mass

mothers,

with

panelling

from

37 m o t h e r s

I-TEq:

29

mothers

PCDD/F

277;

With

range: living

levels

in

a

increase

levels

living

in such 28

without

mass for

be

expected.

frequently

PCDDs/Fs,

treated

especially

PCDD/F

levels

of

PCDD/F

congeners

houses fat)

such

(OCDD: did

in

range:

not

differ

panelling

(OCDD:

30 pg/g fat).

index the

the

air

pg/g

10-57, mean:

body

by 0.8

of

Levels

mean:

parameter

was

indoor

[24,25].

houses

range:

increasing

Germany

high

10-57,

I-TEq:

(m2)] as

in

in e l e v a t e d

wooden

in m i l k

height

wood

containing

resulted

262;

index:

(kg)/squared

(PCP) this

mean:

1983,

As

pg O C D D / c i g a r e t t e

cannot

F~rst et al.

wood

fat).

[ratio:

body

I - T E q / k g / m 2. Since

fat

body

weight

content

of

individual

the

results

vary g r e a t l y this increase has not been confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

There are m a i n l y three factors i n f l u e n c i n g the PCDD/F levels in h u m a n milk: number mother.

of

breast-feeding

With

milk decrease, Other

increasing

periods, first

and

duration second

of b r e a s t - f e e d i n g parameters

PCDD/F

and

age

levels

of the

in human

w h e r e a s w i t h i n c r e a s i n g third these levels increase.

parameters

(place

indoor w o o d panelling,

of

residence,

body mass index)

smoking

habits,

food

are of minor importance.

consumption,

1020

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The assistance Preselected

of L. Else and G. Fritz

samples

breast-feeding

period

Helge and S. Krusche

to on

establish PCDD/F

is gratefully

the

levels

(Free University

dependence in milk

acknowledged. of

were

the kindly

duration provided

of by

the H.

Berlin).

REFERENCES 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I0 ii 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25

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