Infants and breastfeeding

DDT and its metabolites in breast milk from the Madeira River basin in the Amazon, Brazil. Chemosphere, August 2008

PANNA Summary:

Abstract: Until the 1990s the 1,1,1-trichloro-bis-2,2′-(4chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) was sprayed in the walls of the house along the Madeira River basin, Brazilian Amazon, a region well known for its large number of malaria cases. In 1910, Oswaldo Cruz described the presence of malaria in 100% of the population living in some localities from the Madeira River basin. Data available in the literature point to the DDT contamination in fishes captured in Madeira River region. Fish is the major source of dietary protein to these people. DDT tends to accumulate in lipid rich tissues and is being eliminated by different events, including lactation. Considering the importance of feeding breast milk to the children, the associated risks of DDT exposure via breast milk intake to children must be assessed. This is the main objective of this work: to analyse the presence of the p,p′-DDT and its metabolites p,p′-DDE and p,p′-DDD in 69 human milk samples and to estimate the intake of DDT and its metabolite in terms of total DDT (total DDT = p,p′-DDE + p,p′-DDD + p,p′-DDT). All the samples showed contamination with DDT and its metabolites ranging from 25.4 to 9361.9 ng of total DDT/g of lipid (median = 369.6 ng of total DDT/g of lipid) and 8.7% of the estimated daily intake (EDI), in terms of total DDT, which was higher than the acceptable daily intake proposed by the WHO.

 

Bouwman H, Sereda B, and Meinhardt H.M. Simultaneous presence of DDT and pyrethroid residues in human breast milk from a malaria endemic area in South Africa. Environmental Pollution 2006 114: 902-917

PANNA Summary: Human breast milk is a known to be the best source of nutrition for infants. In developing countries, especially in the rural areas it is the primary source of food to infants sometimes until the age of 2, which is a particularly long period and can lead to a significant transfer of pollutants. In Africa, malaria kills millions each year even today. The use of pesticides for vector control continues to rely on insecticide treated bed nets and residual spraying. While the Stockholm convention and Rollback malaria campaign continues to work towards reducing the reliance on malaria, it was forced to reintroduce DDT in South Africa. Also, malaria is not the only potential source of human exposure to pesticides.  Pyrethroids, organophosphates and carbamates, etc., are now readily used in crop protection and veterinary chemicals. The aim of this study is to investigate and deliberate on the presence of DDT and other pyrethroids in breast milk of three semi-urban populations. Results indicate that DDT levels were lower than found in previous studies but the presence of pyrethroids has added to another level of complexity. It shows that more work is required in this aspect. The author does stress that there is no reason to implicate breastfeeding as a primary source of nutrition in infants.

Chen A, and Rogan W.J. Nonmalarial Infant Deaths and DDT Use for Malaria Control Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2003 9(8): 960-964.

Gladen, B. C. and Rogan, W. J. DDE and shortened duration of lactation in a northern Mexican town. American Journal of Public Health 1995; 85(4):504-508.

Bouwman, H.; Becker, P. J.; Cooppan, R. M., and Reinecke, A. J. Transfer of DDT used in malaria control to infants via breast milk. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 1992; 70(2):241-50. ISSN:0042-9686.

Rogan, W. J.; Gladen, B. C.; McKinney, J. D.; Carreras, N.; Hardy,P.; Thullen, J.; Tingelstad, J., and Tully, M. Polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in human milk: Effects on growth, morbidity, and duration of lactation. AmericanJournal of Public Health 1987; 77(10):1294-1297.

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