ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES AND PCBS IN HUMAN-MILK COLLECTED FROM MOTHERS NURSING HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN

Organochlorine compounds in milk were analyzed in samples collected ov er a nine-year period (1987-1995) from nursing mothers (N=139) whose c hildren were hospitalized for various disorders. All samples contained p,p'-DDE and PCBs; the median concentrations were 318 mu g/kg milk fa t and 220 mu g/kg milk fat resp. Higher levels were found in mothers ( N=12) nursing neonates with impaired neurodevelopmental competencies o r an inappropriate arousal reaction. No difference was observed betwee n mothers nursing children with respiratory or gastrointestinal diseas es, urinary tract infections or other infectious diseases, anemias, pr olonged neonatal hyperbilirubinaemias or when children were with derma tological findings, congenital malformations or healthy. (C) 1998 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.