Assessment of prenatal exposure to PCBs from maternal consumption of GreatLakes fish: An analysis of PCB pattern and concentration

The current study was designed to assess the pattern and concentration of p renatal PCB exposure in the newborns of women who consumed Great Lakes fish . We compared the pattern and concentration of umbilical cord blood PCBs of 145 women who reported sever having consumed Great Lakes fish to 134 women who reported consuming at least 40 PCB-equivalent fish Ibs of Great Lakes fish in their lifetime (Lonky et al., 1996). Although the average levels of total PCBs in cord blood were exceedingly low (approximately 1.0ppb), the data clearly indicated that both the proportion (mol%) and the absolute con centration (ppb) of the most heavily chlorinated and persistent PCB homolog ues (homologues C17-C19) were markedly elevated in the cord blood of fish e aters. This effect grew markedly as a function of the total PCBs detected i n the sample. Moreover, the concentration of the most heavily chlorinated P CB homologues was significantly dependent on how recently the fish were con sumed relative to pregnancy. The order of highly chlorinated PCB concentrat ion was consumed fish throughout pregnancy > consumed fish up until pregnan cy > stopped consuming fish in 1984 > never consumed Lake Ontario fish. In contrast, PCB homologues of light (Cl1-C13) or moderate (C14-C16) chlorinat ion were unrelated to fish consumption. Analysis of the relationship betwee n the PCB homologues in cord blood and their homologues in breast milk prov ided further converging evidence of these findings. While PCB homologues of light (Cl1-C13) or moderate (C14-C16) chlorination did not correlate with their breast milk homologues, the most persistent and heavily chlorinated P CB homologues (C17- C19) were significantly and positively correlated with breast milk levels. These data indicate that the most heavily chlorinated P CBs provide valid and reliable exposure information in a lean medium such a s cord blood, We conclude that maternal consumption of Great Lakes fish inc reases the risk of prenatal exposure to the most heavily chlorinated PCB ho moglogues. (C) 1999 Academic Press.