PCB CONGENERS IN MOTHERS MILK FROM CENTRAL HESSE - COMPARATIVE-STUDIES BETWEEN 1984/85 AND 1990/91

The contents of polychlorinated biphenyls in mother's milk originating from Central Hesse Germany were determined in sample material dating from 1990/91 and compared to those out of 1984/85. Like already in 1984/85, the high-chlorinated congeners BS No. 138, 153 and 180 represented, in 1990/91 as well, the main share of PCB contamination of the milk fat. As for congeners BS No. 138 and 153, we found a statistically significant decline of contents in the results of 1990/91 in comparison to those of 1984/85. Contamination with low-chlorinated congeners BS No. 28, 49 and 52, on the other hand, has increased. Contents of PCB BS No. 101 remained practically unchanged. PCB BS No. 101 is contained both in the high-chlorinated technical mixture Clophen A 60R and in low-chlorinated Clophen A 30R. Results obtained would suggest a decreased setting-free of high-chlorinated biphenyls, but likewise an increased input of Clophen A 30R into environment and food chains. As for PCB BS No. 180, the mother's milk samples of 1990/91 showed no reduction, as compared to the studies of 1984/85, in the contamination of the milk fat. Possible causes of the changes in the ''PCB pattern'' of the mother's milk are discussed.