Analysis of breast milk to assess exposure to chlorinated contaminants in Kazakhstan: sources of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposures in an agricultural region of southern Kazakhstan.

High levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; up to 208 pg/g fat) were measured in samples of breast milk collected in 1997 from 64 donors [41 first-time mothers (primiparae)] living on state farms in southern Kazakhstan. TCDD was the major contributor (70%) to the toxic equivalents, matching the congener patterns found in breast milk and serum samples collected in 1994 and 1996 from donors in nearby villages. The highest TCDD levels were found in state farms adjacent to a reservoir (zone A), which receives agricultural runoff from cotton fields. TCDD levels in zone A were significantly higher than levels in a region more distant (zone B; > 10 miles) from the reservoir (zone A: mean 53 pg/g, n = 17; zone B: mean 21 pg/g, n = 24; p = 0.0017). Levels of TCDD in breast milk and animal-derived foodstuffs were 10 times U.S. levels. Body burden and dietary data suggest that exposures to TCDD are chronic, environmental, and long term and may be related to the use of chemicals in cotton agriculture. The data suggest that the most likely source is the use of cotton defoliants contaminated with TCDD, and the most likely pathway for human exposure is via the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs.

Analysis of breast milk to assess exposure to chlorinated contaminants in Kazakstan: high levels of 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in agricultural villages of southern Kazakstan.

To assess levels of chlorinated contaminants in breast milk, we measured organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in breast milk samples collected in 1994 according to the World Health Organization protocol from 92 donors that were representative of regional populations in southern Kazakstan. High levels (10-120 pg/g fat) of 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the most toxic of the PCDD/PCDF congeners, were found in breast milk samples from an agricultural region. TCDD was the major contributor (75%) to the international toxicity equivalents of these samples. The same distinctive PCDD/PCDF congener pattern was found in 15 breast milk samples and 4 serum samples collected in 1996 in a follow-up study, and has now been confirmed by three analytical laboratories.

Congener-specific analysis of PCBs in human milk from Kazakhstan.

We have characterized the spectrum of PCB contaminants in human milk samples from 95 women in Kazakhstan using GC/MS congener specific analysis. In these samples, 12 PCBs comprised 83% of total PCB concentration, and were similar to the major PCBs reported in other published human milk studies. By summing concentration levels of 80 PCB congeners in the Kazakhstan samples, a mean total PCB concentration of 368 ng/g fat was obtained. This is lower than levels reported in human milk samples from Western Europe. Six indicator PCBs were summed in Kazakh milk samples; their aggregate value was similar to literature values published for human milk from the former Soviet Union. Using WHO's recent TEF scheme, the mean sum of PCDD/F, coplanar PCB, mono-ortho PCB, and di-ortho PCB TEQ is 42 pg TEQ/g fat.

Analysis of breast milk to assess exposure to chlorinated contaminants in Kazakstan: PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in southern Kazakstan.

Organochlorine pesticides (OC) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in samples of breast milk taken from 92 donors representative of regional populations in southern Kazakstan. The World Health Organization protocol for assessing levels of chlorinated contaminants in breast milk was followed. The most prevalent OC residues were beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH), p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, hexachlorobenzene, and alpha-HCH. The measured levels of beta-HCH were among the highest reported in the published literature. Data from Aralsk, near the Aral Sea, indicated continuing DDT exposure. Overall PCB-toxic equivalent levels (22 pg/g fat) were similar to those reported in industrialized European countries. PCBs were highest in Atyrau in the Caspian oilfields.

Biotransfer and bioaccumulation of dioxins and furans from soil: chickens as a model for foraging animals.

Chickens were used as a model for foraging animals to examine the bioavailability of all 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs) from soil. Three groups of chickens were exposed through their diet to soil contaminated with PCDD/PCDFs at less than 0.5 pg/g I-TEQ (control group), 42 pg/g I-TEQ (low exposure group), and 460 pg/g I-TEQs (high exposure group). Eggs, tissues, feces and feed were analysed throughout the exposure and depuration period. Daily intake was estimated at 2.5 ng/kg-day for the high and 0.3 ng/kg-day for the low exposure groups. Bioavailability was chlorination-dependent ranging from 80% for tetrachlorinated to less than 10% for octachlorinated congeners. During exposure, tissue distribution was congener-dependent with 5-30% of the intake excreted in the eggs, 7-54% deposited in the adipose and less than 1% present in the liver. On a fat weight basis, the highest concentrations were observed in the liver, implying that mechanisms other than lipid solubility operate in that tissue. Bioconcentration factors and elimination half-lives were also congener- and tissue-dependent. Results from this study indicate that animals foraging on soil contaminated at low ppt PCDD/PCDF levels may bioaccumulate these compounds to unacceptable levels.

Retention of styrene following controlled exposure to constant and fluctuating air concentrations.

An experiment was designed to determine whether the respiratory retention of styrene vapor, as estimated from measurements of end-exhaled air, was the same during periods of both constant and fluctuating exposure. Six human subjects were exposed to styrene inside a experimental chamber. A computer-controlled system was used to generate time-varying air concentrations of styrene over 4-5h in both multistep sequences of constant exposure (four subjects exposed to 15-99 ppm of styrene in 100-min steps) and fluctuating patterns representative of occupational exposures (two subjects exposed to mean concentrations of styrene of 50 ppm). In the latter case, lognormally distributed exposures, which fit one of two first-order autoregressive models, were generated at intervals of 2.5 min. It was found that the concentration of styrene in end-exhaled air was reduced by about half if the subject inhaled one to three breaths of clean air prior to sampling. This suggests that significant amounts of styrene were desorbed from the lining of the lungs during the initial exhalation. The retention of styrene vapor during constant exposures was 0.935 and was independent of the level. During each of the two sets of fluctuating exposure the retention of styrene was also constant and was independent of both the variance and autocorrelation coefficient. However, the retention of styrene during the fluctuating exposure (estimates ranged from 0.957 to 0.973) was significantly higher than that observed during the constant exposures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)