Postnatal exposure to organic pollutants in maternal milk in north-western Spain

Evaluation of postnatal exposure to organic pollutants is especially important for suckling infants during breastfeeding, a crucial perinatal growth period when organs and hormonal systems develop. We determined levels of 60 pollutants, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), pyrethroids (PYRs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in 81 breast milk samples from breastfeeding mothers from Santiago de Compostela (north-western Spain). For most detected organic pollutants, levels were correlated with the season of milk sampling, maternal age at delivery, and place of residence. Dietary consumption habits (eggs, molluscs, and vegetable oils) were also correlated with OCP, OPP, PCB, PBDE and PYR levels. We also assessed the risk to infant health of exposure to organic pollutants in breast milk. PAHs, OCPs, OPPs, and PYRs accounted for almost 95% of the targeted organic pollutants in the samples analysed.