Specific pattern of persistent organochlorine residues in human breast milk from South India

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jf00093a066· OSTI ID:6518060

Tanabe, Shinsuke; Gondaira, Futoshi; Ramesh, A; Tatsukawa, Ryo ^[1]; Subramanian, A; Mohan, D; Kumaran, P; Venugopalan, V K ^[2]

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1. Ehime Univ., Matsuyama (Japan)
2. Annamalai Univ., Tamil Nadu (India)

Human breast milk samples collected from four locations in Tamil Nadu state, South India, were analyzed for understanding the levels of persistent organochlorines such as 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH (BHC)) isomers, 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) compounds, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). On the basis of the overall concentrations of these compounds, {Sigma}HCH (sum of {alpha}, {beta}, {gamma}, and {delta} isomers) levels were higher than the other two. Unlike that of developed countries, the concentration of HCH isomers in Indian breast milk was more in vegetarians than nonvegetarians. Interestingly, high levels of HCH isomers indicated a shift toward their preferential accumulation in the body relative to DDT compounds, which had higher levels than HCH isomers in earlier years. In view of the increase usage of technical HCH for agriculture and vector control, the body burden of HCH isomers may still go up in Indians. The authors also detected PCBs in Indian breast milk, but at low levels.

• OSTI ID: 6518060
• Journal Information: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; (USA), Vol. 38:3; ISSN 0021-8561
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
MILK
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
PESTICIDES
BODY BURDEN
FEMALES
INDIA
MAMMARY GLANDS
MAN
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
ASIA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
FOOD
GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology