[Elimination kinetics of organochlorine compounds in the 1st week of breast feeding]

Abstract

The elimination kinetics of organochlorine compounds (DDE, lindane, aldrin, heptachlor epoxide and heptachlor) from day 2 to day 10 of breast feeding was studied in 39 volunteers who had a baby in the Maternity Department in Nancy. If there was any contamination of the mothers' milk with DDT, the levels were below the level of detection. In contrast, contamination with DDE was high (112.6 ng/g fat content) on day 2, although it decreased rapidly, to 38.6 ng/g by day 3. On day 2, contamination with lindane, aldrin, heptachlor epoxide and heptachlor averaged 43.8, 23.5, 25.4 and 7.4 ng/g fat, respectively, and the levels showed a linear decrease on subsequent days in all cases except that of heptachlor, for which no significant negative correlation with time could be demonstrated. A breast-fed infant thus absorbs measurable quantities of pesticides but not in excess of the acceptable daily doses. Levels of contamination of human milk in France are lower than those reported in Canadian and Italian studies but are higher than the levels in formulated milk.