Concentrations of persistent organochlorine compounds in human milk and placenta are higher in Denmark than in Finland

: Shen H, Main KM, Andersson AM, Damgaard IN, Virtanen HE, Skakkebaek NE, Toppari J, Schramm KW

: 2008

: Human Reproduction

: Human reproduction (Oxford, England)

: Hum Reprod

: 23

: 1

: 201

: 10

: 0268-1161

: 1460-2350

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dem199

A significantly reduced male reproductive health status, including a higher prevalence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias, has been documented in Danish men compared with Finnish men. Exposure to environmental pollutants with endocrine disrupting activities has been suggested as a possible contributing factor. In this study, we investigated whether there was a difference in milk and placental concentrations of persistent organohalogen compounds, between the two countries.\nOrganohalogens were analysed by high-resolution gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry in human milk samples from Finland (n = 65) and Denmark (n = 65) and in placentas from Finland (n = 112) and Denmark (n = 168).\n1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDE) was the dominant pollutant. beta-Hexa-chloro-cyclohexane (beta-HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), endosulfan-I, dieldrin, oxychlordane (OXC), cis-heptachloroepoxide (c-HE) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT) were the other main organochlorines detected. Danish samples had significantly higher concentrations of p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, beta-HCH, HCB, dieldrin, c-HE and OXC than did the Finnish samples. Levels of organobrominated compounds were very low and most were undetectable in the majority of samples. BB-153 and BB-155 were the most abundant polybromobiphenyl congeners. BB-153 was more abundant in Danish milk samples compared with Finnish samples, whereas BB-155 was more abundant in the Finnish milk.\nThe organochlorine levels were higher in Danish, than in Finnish, samples, suggesting a higher exposure for Danish infants.\nBACKGROUND\nMETHODS\nRESULTS\nCONCLUSIONS