Assessment of Exposure to Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Human Adipose Tissue and Milk from the Korean Population

Youn-Seok KANG; Muneaki MATSUDA; Masahide KAWANO; Byung-Yoon MIN; Tadaaki WAKIMOTO

doi:10.5985/jec.10.581

Youn-Seok KANG, Muneaki MATSUDA, Masahide KAWANO, Byung-Yoon MIN, Tadaaki WAKIMOTO

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Keywords: Organochlorine pesticide, PCBs, human adipose tissue, human milk, Korean

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2000 Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 581-594

DOI https://doi.org/10.5985/jec.10.581

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Published: September 29, 2000 Received: May 29, 2000 Available on J-STAGE: May 31, 2010 Accepted: May 29, 2000 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: May 31, 2010 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : Among organochlorines in adipose tissues of Korean people, DDTs concentrations were found to be the highest in the range of 118 to 7800ng⋅g^-1, with a mean value of 828ng⋅g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. Regarding DDTs, p, p'-DDE was the major component in human adipose tissues, accounting for more than 90%. On the other hand, p, p'-DDT and p, p'-DDD amounted to 5.8% and 0.7%, respectively. Relatively higher ratio of p, p'-DDE to p, p'-DDT suggests that fairly long time has passed since stop of usage of DDTs in Korea. The mean concentration of HCHs was 143ng⋅g^-1 (43-1100ng⋅g^-1) . β-HCH was the predominant isomer occupying 98.6% of total HCHs. α- and γ -HCH occupied only 0.9% and 0.4% of total HCHs, respectively. Average concentration of HCB was 19ng⋅g^-1 (7.3-86ng⋅g^-1) . PCBs concentrations varied from 61 to 810ng⋅g^-1, with an average of 325ng⋅g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. The concentrations of HCHs and DDTs in samples from Jinju were significantly higher than in those from Seoul. However, this is probably due to a fact that the former group was relatively older than the latter. Furthermore, there was no characteristic difference in HCB and PCB residues in the geographic population. The lack of regional differences of organochlorine compounds in Koreans was estimated to be probably due to the uniform food supply.
The residue levels of organochlorine compounds in human milk samples from Masan were found in the order of a magnitude of DDTs (mean; 287ng⋅g^-1), PCBs (220ng⋅g^-1), HCHs (57ng⋅g^-1) and HCB (12ng⋅g^-1) . A similar tendency was seen in the concentrations of these compounds in the adipose samples. The average daily intake of organochlorines via human milk by a baby weighing 5kg was calculated based on the analytical data and assuming a daily consumption of 800ml breast milk with 3% fat. The amounts of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs were all lower than the acceptable daily intakes proposed by FAO/WHO which for lindane, HCB and DDT are 12.5, 5 and 0.6g/kg body weight/day, respectively.
Right : Among organochlorines in adipose tissues of Korean people, DDTs concentrations were found to be the highest in the range of 118 to 7800ng·g^-1, with a mean value of 828ng·g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. Regarding DDTs, p, p'-DDE was the major component in human adipose tissues, accounting for more than 90%. On the other hand, p, p'-DDT and p, p'-DDD amounted to 5.8% and 0.7%, respectively. Relatively higher ratio of p, p'-DDE to p, p'-DDT suggests that fairly long time has passed since stop of usage of DDTs in Korea. The mean concentration of HCHs was 143ng·g^-1 (43-1100ng·g^-1) . β-HCH was the predominant isomer occupying 98.6% of total HCHs. α- and γ -HCH occupied only 0.9% and 0.4% of total HCHs, respectively. Average concentration of HCB was 19ng·g^-1 (7.3-86ng·g^-1) . PCBs concentrations varied from 61 to 810ng·g^-1, with an average of 325ng·g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. The concentrations of HCHs and DDTs in samples from Jinju were significantly higher than in those from Seoul. However, this is probably due to a fact that the former group was relatively older than the latter. Furthermore, there was no characteristic difference in HCB and PCB residues in the geographic population. The lack of regional differences of organochlorine compounds in Koreans was estimated to be probably due to the uniform food supply.
The residue levels of organochlorine compounds in human milk samples from Masan were found in the order of a magnitude of DDTs (mean; 287ng·g^-1), PCBs (220ng·g^-1), HCHs (57ng·g^-1) and HCB (12ng·g^-1) . A similar tendency was seen in the concentrations of these compounds in the adipose samples. The average daily intake of organochlorines via human milk by a baby weighing 5kg was calculated based on the analytical data and assuming a daily consumption of 800ml breast milk with 3% fat. The amounts of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs were all lower than the acceptable daily intakes proposed by FAO/WHO which for lindane, HCB and DDT are 12.5, 5 and 0.6g/kg body weight/day, respectively.

Abstract

Among organochlorines in adipose tissues of Korean people, DDTs concentrations were found to be the highest in the range of 118 to 7800ng·g^-1, with a mean value of 828ng·g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. Regarding DDTs, p, p'-DDE was the major component in human adipose tissues, accounting for more than 90%. On the other hand, p, p'-DDT and p, p'-DDD amounted to 5.8% and 0.7%, respectively. Relatively higher ratio of p, p'-DDE to p, p'-DDT suggests that fairly long time has passed since stop of usage of DDTs in Korea. The mean concentration of HCHs was 143ng·g^-1 (43-1100ng·g^-1) . β-HCH was the predominant isomer occupying 98.6% of total HCHs. α- and γ -HCH occupied only 0.9% and 0.4% of total HCHs, respectively. Average concentration of HCB was 19ng·g^-1 (7.3-86ng·g^-1) . PCBs concentrations varied from 61 to 810ng·g^-1, with an average of 325ng·g^-1 on a lipid weight basis. The concentrations of HCHs and DDTs in samples from Jinju were significantly higher than in those from Seoul. However, this is probably due to a fact that the former group was relatively older than the latter. Furthermore, there was no characteristic difference in HCB and PCB residues in the geographic population. The lack of regional differences of organochlorine compounds in Koreans was estimated to be probably due to the uniform food supply.
The residue levels of organochlorine compounds in human milk samples from Masan were found in the order of a magnitude of DDTs (mean; 287ng·g^-1), PCBs (220ng·g^-1), HCHs (57ng·g^-1) and HCB (12ng·g^-1) . A similar tendency was seen in the concentrations of these compounds in the adipose samples. The average daily intake of organochlorines via human milk by a baby weighing 5kg was calculated based on the analytical data and assuming a daily consumption of 800ml breast milk with 3% fat. The amounts of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs were all lower than the acceptable daily intakes proposed by FAO/WHO which for lindane, HCB and DDT are 12.5, 5 and 0.6g/kg body weight/day, respectively.

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