Organochlorines in breast milk from two cities in Ukraine

Reports of environmental problems in the former Soviet Union, including exc ess use of pesticides, have led to concerns about high levels of contaminat ion in humans, but little information is available to assess whether these concerns are warranted. Samples of breast milk from 197 women from two citi es in Ukraine were analyzed for p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, endrin, dieldrin, hepta chlor epoxide, trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane, hexachlorobenzene, P-hexachlo rocyclohexane (HCH), and 18 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, and results were compared to previous reports from Europe. The median beta-HCH concent ration was 731 ng/g milk fat, which is higher than other reports from Europ e but lower than reports from other parts of the world. The median DDE conc entration was 2,457 ng/g milk fat, which is higher than most but not all ot her reports from Europe. Concentrations of other chemicals were comparable to or lower than other reports from Europe. Concentrations from the city of Kyiv were generally lower than those from Dniprodzerzhinsk, but the magnit udes of these differences were modest.