Changes in Concentrations of Perfluorinated Compounds, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Norwegian Breast-Milk during Twelve Months of Lactation
- 23 November 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 44 (24), 9550-9556
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es1021922
Abstract
At present, scientific knowledge on depuration rates of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is limited and the previous assumptions of considerable reduction of body burdens through breast-feeding have recently been challenged. We therefore studied elimination rates of important POPs in nine Norwegian primiparous mothers and one mother breast-feeding her second child by collecting breast-milk samples (n = 70) monthly from about two weeks to up to twelve months after birth. Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in the breast-milk samples. Linear mixed effect models were established for selected compounds, and significant decreases in the range of 1.2−4.7% in breast-milk concentrations per month were observed for a wide range of PCBs and PBDEs. For the first time, depuration rates for perfluorooctylsulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are presented, being 3.8 and 7.8% per month, respectively (p < 0.05). The relative amount of the branched PFOS isomers in the breast-milk samples was 18% on average (range 6−36%, RSD 30%). There were no significant differences in isomer pattern between the mothers, or changes during the lactation period. After a year of nursing the breast-milk concentrations of PFCs, PBDEs, and PCBs were reduced by 15−94%.Keywords
This publication has 25 references indexed in Scilit:
- Diet and particularly seafood are major sources of perfluorinated compounds in humansEnvironment International, 2010
- Determinants of brominated flame retardants in breast milk from a large scale Norwegian studyEnvironment International, 2010
- Individual Characteristics Associated with PBDE Levels in U.S. Human Milk SamplesEnvironmental Health Perspectives, 2010
- Do Human Milk Concentrations of Persistent Organic Chemicals Really Decline During Lactation? Chemical Concentrations During Lactation and Milk/Serum PartitioningEnvironmental Health Perspectives, 2009
- Depuration of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Breast Milk from California First-Time Mothers (Primiparae)Environmental Health Perspectives, 2007
- Perfluoroalkyl Acids: A Review of Monitoring and Toxicological FindingsToxicological Sciences, 2007
- Exposure of Perfluorinated Chemicals through Lactation: Levels of Matched Human Milk and Serum and a Temporal Trend, 1996–2004, in SwedenEnvironmental Health Perspectives, 2007
- Automated solid-phase extraction for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in serum—application on archived Norwegian samples from 1977 to 2003Journal of Chromatography B, 2007
- The Applicability of Biomonitoring Data for Perfluorooctanesulfonate to the Environmental Public Health ContinuumEnvironmental Health Perspectives, 2006
- Brominated flame retardants: cause for concern?Environmental Health Perspectives, 2004