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Human Reproduction, Vol. 7, No. suppl_1, pp. 95-100, 1992
© 1992 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Chlorinated hydrocarbon content of fetal and maternal body tissues and fluids in full term pregnant women: A comparison of Germany versus Tanzania

Katrin van der Ven*, Hans van der Ven*, Andrea Thibold*, Otmar Bauer*, M. Kaisi{dagger}, J. Mbura{dagger}, H.N. Mgaya{dagger}, Nadja Weber*, Klaus Diedrich* and Dieter Krebs*

* Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Bonn Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D 5300 Bonn, Germany {dagger} Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Muhimbli Medical Centre, University of Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are distributed worldwide and due to their lipophilic properties and chemical stability they accumulate in the foodchain. The concentrations of 19 different chlorinated hydrocarbons (hexachlorohexane (HCH), DDT and various metabolites and nine different polychlorinated phenyl (PCB) congeners were detected in various body tissues and fluids (maternal and fetal serum, adipose tissue, placenta, amniotic fluid) of full term pregnant women from Germany and Tanzaina. Great variation of total toxin burden and toxin distribution within the different body compartments was found. This was in part due to local differences of exposure to some of the chlorinated hydrocarbons. Comparing samples from Germany and Tanzania, typical distribution patterns reflected the specific economic situation of the two countries with a high burden of insecticides (DDT and Dieldrin) in the agricultural country and high levels of constituents of industrial products (hexachlorbenzene (HCB) and PCBs) in Germany. Different chlorinated hydrocarbons seem to show different distributions patterns in body tissues, probably due to their chemical structure, the lipid content of the compartment and the overall toxin burden of the individual. A 10 to 100 fold accumulation of chlorinated hydrocarbons was observed in maternal adipose tissue compared with the other compartments. The concentrations of certain toxins in fetal cord serum and placenta were higher than in material serum.

Key words: Chlorinated hydrocarbons/pregnancy/placenta/fetal cord serum/fertility


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