PCB pollution of early milk in the Province of Vojvodina

Seven EPA PCB congeners (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) were determined in samples of early human milk collected from 18 mothers in Novi Sad, using GC-ECD (HP 5890) supplied with a Quadra fused silica column 5% Ph for PCBs. The sum of seven PCB congeners was 3.26 +/- 3.90 ((X) over bar +/- S.D.), median 1.25, range 0.4-14.31 and the range of individual congeners was for: 28: 0.04-0.37; 52: 0.04-0.44, 101: 0.04-1.21; 118: 0.05-0.62; 138: 0.13-4.61; 153: 0.13-4.81; 180: 0.10-3.07, ng/g wet. No correlation was found between maternal age and seven PCB congeners. In two primiparous mothers below 30 years, the sum of seven PCB congeners was three to fourfold, and in one multiparous twofold higher than the average for the group. Unchanged level of assumed total PCBs in early human milk in 2003, compared with measured total PCBs in 1993, suggest the continuous inlet of these chemicals into the environment. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.