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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on November 19, 2007
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dem199
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

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

Heqing Shen1,2, Katharina M. Main2, Anna-Maria Andersson2,6, Ida N. Damgaard2, Helena E. Virtanen3,4, Niels E. Skakkebaek2, Jorma Toppari3,4 and Karl-Werner Schramm1,5

1 Institute of Ecological Chemistry, GSF—National Research Center for Environment and Health, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany 2 University Department of Growth and Reproduction, GR 5064, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark 3 Department of Physiology, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland 4 Department of Paediatrics, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland 5 Technische Universität München, Institut für Ökologische Chemie und Umweltanalytik, Weihenstephaner Steig 23, Freising, Germany

6 Correspondence address. Tel: +45-35-456054; Fax: +45-35-456054; E-mail: anna{at}rh.dk

BACKGROUND: 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.

METHODS: Organohalogens 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).

RESULTS: 1,1-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.

CONCLUSIONS: The organochlorine levels were higher in Danish, than in Finnish, samples, suggesting a higher exposure for Danish infants.

Key words: placenta/breast milk/organochlorine pesticides/organobromine compounds/infants

Submitted on March 7, 2006; resubmitted on February 16, 2007; accepted on May 31, 2007.


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