Determination of organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyle (PCBs) concentrations in human milk from antalya

During the twentieth century, production and use of toxic chemicals has increased rapidly thousands of chemicals have been introduced into the environment. Among them, Persistent Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are the more important groups of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and many of these compounds have been or continue to be used in large quantities and, due to their environmental persistence, have the ability to bioaccumulate and biomagnify. Exposure to these chemicals, either acute or chronic, can be associated with a wide range of adverse health effects .OCPs were produced in large number in the 1940-1950s and global production increased year by year. In Turkey, OCPs have been started to used against to pests in 1945, large quantities of these chemicals were used during 1960s and 1970s, and since 1983 usage of these chemicals. OCP residues have been monitored in the Turkish population by carrying out regional surveys at given time intervals since 1976 in Turkey . PCBs were first manufactured commercially in 1929 and concern about the presence of PCBs in environment began in the 1960s. Because of the bioaccumulation and toxicity, usage of these chemicals for different purposes has been restricted or banned in most countries, since the beginning of the 1970?s. PCBs are restricted for use in closed systems and banned after 1996 in Turkey. There are very limited data of PCB contamination levels both in humans and environment in Turkey.This study aims to determine the amount of some OCPs and indicator PCBs in human milk samples obtained from Antalya city. For this purpose, OCP and PCB contamination levels were determined in 100 human milk samples from healthy donors living in Antalya for at least 5 years by GC-ECD analysis with aldrin as internal standard. Alpha-BHC (0.001), beta-BHC (0.150 ? 0.492) gamma-BHC (0.008 ? 0.023), HCB (0.039 ? 0.054), heptachlor epoxide (0.039 ? 0.054), p,p?-DDE (1.062 ? 0.689), and p,p?-DDT (0.256 ? 0.348), expressed on a fat basis (ppm), could be detected. The levels of seven major persistent PCB congeners were measured as 1147,96 ? 427.9,722,58 ? 384,565,94 ? 270.9,1238,38 ? 715.9,5712,22 ? 2293.7,1136,4 ? 5503 ve 6675 ? 3149 pg\ g fat for PCB 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180,respectivelly. There have been no national docunemtation for OCP and PCB contamination in human who lived in Antalya city. Results of this study will be provivedfirst data about this issue. On the other hand the results of this study are considered important in terms of providing baseline data from a different source PCB contamination in Turkey.