Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in breast milk from the Pacific Northwest.

Breast milk samples from 40 first-time mothers from the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Total PBDEs (summation operator PBDEs), calculated by summing values for the 12 PBDEs congeners analyzed, ranged from 6 to 321 ppb (lipid weight) (mean=96 ppb; median=50 ppb). In approximately 40% of the women (15/40), summation operator PBDEs>100 ppb lw in their milk, and four samples had levels >250 ppb lw. PBDE 47 was the dominant congener in most samples, whereas PBDE 153 was predominant in a few (3/40). summation operator PCBs were calculated by summing values for the 82 PCB congeners analyzed, and ranged from 49 to 415 ppb (lipid weight) (mean=147 ppb; median=126 ppb). approximately 30% of the mothers (13/40) have summation operator PBDEs> summation operator PCBs in their milk samples, and approximately 65% (25/40) have BDE 47>PCB 153 in breast milk samples, with BDE 47 averaging 3-fold greater levels than PCB 153. Clearly, the lower brominated PBDEs are surpassing PCBs as a major environmental concern in North America, and are likely affecting significant portions of the populations in these regions. PBDEs have become a major persistent organic pollutant. However, there are no positive correlations between levels of summation operator PBDEs and summation operator PCBs, or between levels of PBDE 47 and PCB 153, suggesting there may be some differences in exposure pathways for PBDEs and PCBs in humans.

[1]  H. Hakk,et al.  Decabromodiphenyl ether in the rat: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. , 2003, Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals.

[2]  Heather M Stapleton,et al.  Debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners BDE 99 and BDE 183 in the intestinal tract of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). , 2004, Environmental science & technology.

[3]  Hiroyuki Nakazawa,et al.  Development of an analysis method for polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their levels in Japanese human Mother's milk , 2002 .

[4]  C. Thomsen,et al.  BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS IN BREAST MILK FROM NORWAY , 2003 .

[5]  B C Gladen,et al.  Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in human milk: effects of maternal factors and previous lactation. , 1986, American journal of public health.

[6]  M. Friedman,et al.  Mother's milk. A psychoanalyst looks at breastfeeding. , 1996, The Psychoanalytic study of the child.

[7]  Ronald A Hites,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a meta-analysis of concentrations. , 2004, Environmental science & technology.

[8]  Nathan G Dodder,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in maternal and fetal blood samples. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[9]  G. O. Thomas,et al.  Different Levels of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Chlorinated Compounds in Breast Milk from Two U.K. Regions , 2004, Environmental health perspectives.

[10]  C. A. Wit.  An overview of brominated flame retardants in the environment. , 2002 .

[11]  Jianwen She,et al.  PBDEs in the San Francisco Bay Area: measurements in harbor seal blubber and human breast adipose tissue. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[12]  K. Norén,et al.  Analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Swedish human milk. A time-related trend study, 1972-1997. , 1999, Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A.

[13]  Sierra Rayne,et al.  Rapidly increasing polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations in the Columbia River system from 1992 to 2000. , 2003, Environmental science & technology.

[14]  Teruyuki Nakao,et al.  Comparison of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish, vegetables, and meats and levels in human milk of nursing women in Japan. , 2002, Chemosphere.

[15]  Åke Bergman,et al.  Brominated flame retardants in serum from us blood donors , 2000 .

[16]  Arnold Schecter,et al.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in U.S. mothers' milk. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[17]  A. Bergman,et al.  Brominated flame retardants in serum from U.S. blood donors. , 2001, Environmental science & technology.

[18]  J. J. Ryan,et al.  Recent trends in levels of brominated diphenyl ethers (BDES) in human milks from Canada , 2002 .

[19]  M. Huisman,et al.  The Dutch PCB/Dioxin Study. Contents of dioxins, planar and other PCBs in human milk from the Rotterdam and Groningen area. , 1994, Chemosphere.

[20]  J. Doucet,et al.  PCB and organochlorine pesticides in Canadian human milk--1992. , 1995, Chemosphere.

[21]  Ǻ. Bergman,et al.  Human prenatal and postnatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorobiphenylols, and pentachlorophenol. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[22]  D. Micic,et al.  ANALYSIS OF MAN-MADE CHEMICALS IN HUMAN BLOOD SAMPLES FROM 17 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES , 2004 .

[23]  S. Korrick,et al.  High breast milk levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) among four women living adjacent to a PCB-contaminated waste site. , 1998, Environmental health perspectives.

[24]  R. Maljanian,et al.  "Getting the lead out" in Hartford, Connecticut: a multifaceted lead-poisoning awareness campaign. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[25]  Thomas A McDonald.  Polybrominated diphenylether levels among United States residents: daily intake and risk of harm to the developing brain and reproductive organs. , 2005, Integrated environmental assessment and management.

[26]  L. Lambert,et al.  The Follow-up Study , 1980 .

[27]  A. Polder,et al.  Congener-specific determination of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in human milk from Norwegian mothers living in Oslo. , 1994, Journal of toxicology and environmental health.

[28]  Rajiv Bhatia,et al.  High body burdens of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) in California women. , 2003, Environmental health perspectives.

[29]  M. Tysklind,et al.  High levels of pbdes in 5 % of 220 blood samples from the Swedish population , 2002 .

[30]  A. Holden,et al.  PBDEs in the San Francisco Bayarea : Measurements in fish , 2003 .

[31]  L. Maurice,et al.  Organochlorine pesticide and PCB congener content of French human milk , 1993, Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology.

[32]  Ronald A Hites,et al.  Temporal trends and spatial distributions of brominated flame retardants in archived fishes from the Great Lakes. , 2004, Environmental science & technology.