Analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in breast milk of German mothers - Results of a pilot study

Analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in breast milk of German mothers - Results of a pilot study Breast milk is a readily available und useful indicator of environmental xenocompounds in humans and of environmental quality. Recent body concentration monitoring studies in Sweden and North America have shown a rapid increase of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk. Since the 1960s, polybrominated diphenyl ethers have been added as flame retardants to thermoplastics, electronic equipment, textiles and other materials. Environmental studies conducted in Europe, Japan and North America have shown these chemicals to be ubiquitous in sediment and biota. PBDEs have some structural similarities to the polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins and they seem to share some toxicologic properties as welt. Available data suggest that lower PBDE congeners (tetra- to hexa-PBDE) are likely to act as carcinogens, endocrine disruptors or neurodevelopmental toxicants. In the present pilot study, pooled breast milk samples from eight native German mothers aged 27 to 40 years living in Paderborn (North Rhine-Westphalia) were analyzed for seven PBDE congeners. The results have shown PBDE concentrations ranging from 4.3 to 11.8 ng/g of milk fat (mean value: 7.2 ng/g fat, median: 6.6 ng/g fat) in 2002. These data confirm that German breast milk also contains PBDE concentrations which are much higher than those of Swedish mothers (mean value: 2.79 ng/g fat in 2000) but far below the concentrations found in North Americans (mean value in 2000: 200 ng/g fat). Inventories of environmental PBDE sources have not yet been completed. Further studies are needed to quantify human exposure routes.